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PHYSICAL  EXAMINATION  AND  TRAINING 
OF  CHILDREN 


Exercise  No.  5.    Final  Position.    Age  13. 
Standard  135. 


Medium  Type. 


THE 

Physical  Examination 


AND 


Training  of  Children 


A  HANDBOOK,  FOR  SCHOOL  MEDICAL 

INSPECTORS,   PHYSICAL   DIRECTORS, 

TEACHERS,  AND  PARENTS. 


BT 

CHARLES   KEEN   TAYLOR,   B.S.,  M.A. 

Author  of  "Character  Development,"  "The  Moral  Education  of 

School  Children,"  etc.,  etc. 


PHILADELPHIA 

THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON  COMPANY 

1914 


3i  <*  ^ 


Copyright,  1914,  by 
The  John  C.  Winston  Co. 


.1 


To 

WILLIAM  S.  STECHER,  B.S.G., 

Director  of  Physical  Education  in  the  Philadelphia 

Public  Schools,  as  a  slight  mark  of  appreciation  of 

his  splendid  service  to  the  school  children  of 

Philadelphia. 


CONTENTS 
Introduction  by  J.  Edgar  Belville,  M.D 11 

Chapter  I 

The  Physical  Examination 

Carriage  —  Stoop  Shoulders  —  Other  Defects  — 
Flat-foot — Causes  of  Defects.  Facial  Char- 
acteristics —  Nose  —  Mouth  —  Adenoids  — 
Enlarged  Tonsils  —  Eyes  —  Strain  —  Causes 
of  Defects  —  Procedure.  The  Hands  — 
Indications  —  Causes  —  Procedure.  Nervous 
Affections  —  Stuttering  and  Stammering  — 
Chorea — Hysteria,  Epilepsy 15 

Chapter  II 
Anthropometry 

Beginnings  of  Anthropometry — Diirer — Schadow 
—  Quetelet  —  Bowditch  —  Galton  —  Hitch- 
cock— Hastings — Crampton.  Inadequacy  of 
Old  Methods — Slender,  Medium  and  Heavy 
Types — Height- Weight  Standard  — Applica- 
tion to  Children  from  Standpoint  of  Psychol- 
ogy —  School    Competition  —  Methods  — 

Value — Results 41 

(9) 


10  CONTENTS 

Chapter  III 

Athletics  and  Sports 

Values  and  Dangers  of  Different  Games  and  Sports. 
Dancing  —  Folk  Dancing  —  Co-operative 
Sports  —  Team-work  —  Football  —  Track 
Sports — Basket-ball 53 

Chapter  IV 

The  Measuring 

The  Measuring  Process — Chest — Arms — Waist — 
Hips  —  Legs  —  Standardizing  According  to 
Measurements — Tables  of  Standard  Measure- 
ments  63 

Chapter  V 

Special  Exercises 

Developmental  Exercises — Need  of  Caution — Cor- 
recting Defects  —  Exercises  for  Chest  — 
Exercises  for  Shoulders — Exercises  for  Back 
—  Exercises  for  Abdomen  —  Exercises  for 
Sides  —  Exercises  for  Arms  —  Exercises  for 
Neck — Exercises  for  Chest  Muscles — Exer- 
cises for  Legs 81 


INTRODUCTION 

There  is  ground  for  encouragement  in  the  out- 
look for  the  race  in  the  more  rational  modes  of 
living  that  each  year  are  coming  more  and  more 
into  vogue.  In  no  way  is  this  improvement 
better  evidenced  than  in  the  stress  being  laid 
upon  physical  training  and  particularly  upon 
physical  training  in  the  formative  period  of  life. 
At  this  time  much  can  be  accomplished  in  the 
all-round  development  of  the  growing  child,  and 
in  the  correction  of  those  deficiencies,  which,  if 
allowed  to  go  uncorrected,  result  in  a  fixed 
deformity,  constituting  a  pronounced  handicap  in 
the  struggle  for  existence. 

Medical  inspection  of  school  children,  origi- 
nally designed  simply  to  prevent  the  spread  of 
infectious  diseases,  like  all  other  reforms,  has 
developed  far  beyond  the  original  lines  mapped 
out  by  those  who  instituted  it.  The  author  of 
this  book  takes  advanced  ground,  and,  in  a  very 
practical  way,  shows  himself  a  pioneer  in  the 
movement  for  child-development. 

The  book  is  really  a  compend  for  the  use  of 
school  medical  inspectors,  physical  directors, 
teachers,  parents  and  those  concerned  at  all  with 
the   physical   well-being   of    children.      Even    a 

(11) 


12  INTRODUCTION 

cursory  reading  of  its  pages  must  impress  one 
with  what  has  been  done  and  what  can  be  done  in 
the  removal  of  apparently  hopeless  disabilities. 

The  subject  of  sex  hygiene,  although  approached 
only  by  inference,  seems  to  be  dealt  with  in  an 
intensely  practical  way,  as  lectures  upon  such  a 
subject  require  most  dextrous  handling  to  avoid 
doing  more  harm  than  good. 

There  is  no  intention  on  the  part  of  the  writer 
to  present  a  medical  treatise  upon  the  various 
nervous  affections  met  with  in  childhood.  He 
simply  directs  attention  to  their  most  striking 
symptoms,  in  order  to  insure  early  recognition  of 
the  condition. 

The  entirely  new  system  of  anthropometry  is  a 
distinct  advantage.  It  is  recognized  among  med- 
ical men  that  actual  and  physiological  age  are 
separate  and  distinct.  Standardizing  measure- 
ments according  to  "age"  would  seem  to  be  an 
anachronism.  The  plan  adopted  by  the  author 
is  a  much  more  rational  and  usable  system. 

The  book  should  commend  itself  to  every  lover 
of  children  and  to  every  one  who  believes  in  and 
is  working  for  the  upbuilding  of  the  race. 

J.  Edgar  Belville,  A.M.,  M.D. 

Professor  Emeritus  of  Physiology, 

Hahnemann  Medical  College,  Phila. 


THE  PHYSICAL  EXAMINATION 


GlVl 


CHAPTER  I 
The  Physical  Examination 

A  thorough  physical  examination  can  be  made 
only  by  an  experienced  physician,  but  there  are 
a  number  of  physical  characteristics  which  should 
be  noticed  at  once,  not  only  by  the  usual  physical 
examiner  or  gymnastic  instructor,  but  by  the 
school  teacher  as  well — not  to  speak  of  the 
parent.  Let  us  consider  the  more  important  of 
these. 

Carriage 

When  one  sees  a  child,  the  carriage  is  nearly 
always  the  first  thing  noticed.  A  normal,  healthy 
child  should  hold  his  or  her  head  erect,  the 
shoulders  back,  though  in  an  unstrained  manner, 
and  the  chest  well  rounded.  The  body  should 
be  held  naturally  erect,  with  level  shoulders  and 
unsagging  abdomen. 

Unfortunately  many  children,  from  one  cause 
or  another,  do  not  carry  themselves  well.  With 
a  number  the  head  is  likely  to  hang  forward  in 
a  dispirited  manner.  With  the  hanging  head 
usually  come  stoop  shoulders,  and,  in  con- 
sequence, flat  chest  and  protruding  abdomen. 
Sometimes,  too,  the  upper  part  of  the  back  seems 

(15) 


16  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

i       i      '     '  ■■ 
to  be  bent  forward  in  a  sharp  curve,  and  not 
infrequently  one  shoulder  is  distinctly  higher  than 
the  other.     These  faults  are  generally  easy  to 
see,  whether  the  child  is  seated  or  standing. 

Sometimes,  too,  a  child,  instead  of  standing 
erect,  will  invariably  lean  against  the  nearest 
object,  or  as  invariably  stand  upon  one  certain 
foot.  At  this  time  another  fault  is  not  infre- 
quently noticed,  and  that  is  that  the  arch  of  the 
foot  has  broken,  resulting  in  flat-foot. 

These,  then,  are  the  more  common  faults  which 
affect  the  carriage  of  a  child.  It  is  well  to  con- 
sider them  in  detail. 

Hanging  head  may  indicate  one  or  more  of 
several  things,  among  which  are  weak  mus- 
culature, malnutrition,  under-feeding,  and  defect- 
ive eyes.  Perhaps  the  most  common  cause  is 
weak  musculature,  and  this,  of  course,  may  in 
turn  be  due  to  lack  of  exercise,  unhealthy  sur- 
roundings, or  scanty  or  improperdiet. 

Stooping  or  round  shoulders  and  flat  chest 
generally  accompany  the  hanging  head.  The 
musculature  may  be  again  at  fault,  though 
another  very  important  cause  may  be  at  the 
bottom  of  it.  A  serious  nasal  obstruction,  such 
as  may  be  produced  by  the  common  adenoid,  can 
occasion  this  whole  series  of  faults — the  flat  chest, 
because  breathing  is  difficult;  round  shoulders, 
because  the  chest  is  flat  and  undeveloped;    and 


THE  PHYSICAL  EXAMINATION      17 

hanging  head,  because  the  presence  of  adenoids 
with  flat  chest  and  round  shoulders  generally 
means  physical  weakness  and  lack  of  stamina. 

These  faults  bring  on  other  faults.  When  the 
head  and  shoulders  hang  forward,  and  difficult 
breathing  causes  under-development  of  the  lungs, 
then  the  upper  part  of  the  breast-bone  is  de- 
pressed. The  ribs  are  deflected  downward  to 
an  abnormal  degree.  Thus  the  chest  is  made 
flat,  especially  in  the  upper  part,  causing  more  or 
less  of  a  restriction  of  the  lungs,  and  sometimes 
even  of  the  heart.  A  matter  for  serious  consid- 
eration is  the  fact  that  tuberculosis  generally 
begins  in  this  restricted  area 

Naturally  such  a  condition  in  the  chest  would 
tend  to  crowd  downward  the  abdominal  organs, 
causing  the  abdomen  to  protrude,  and  sometimes 
bringing  on  disturbances  of  the  crowded  organs. 
It  is  thus  easy  to  see  that  the  hanging  head, 
round  shoulders,  flat  chest,  and  protruding  abdo- 
men are  likely  to  go  together,  and  that  when  they 
do  it  is  an  indication  of  a  condition  that  may  be, 
or  may  become,  quite  serious.  A  child  showing 
such  a  combination  of  characteristics,  or  even  one 
of  them,  should  be  sent  to  a  physician  for  expert 
examination. 

When  a  child  has  one  shoulder  higher  than  the 
other,  the  cause  is  sometimes  found  to  be  a  spinal 
curvature,  which  may  be  very  slight,  but  not  less 


18  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

important  on  that  account.  This  defect  is  far 
more  common  than  is  supposed,  especially  among 
girls,  and  possibly  much  of  the  blame  may  be  laid 
at  the  doors  of  our  common-school  seating 
arrangements.  Of  course  there  are  often  physical 
conditions  which  seem  to  encourage  the  develop- 
ment of  curvature;  but  the  usual  school  desk  and 
seat  have  much  to  answer  for,  not  in  themselves 
so  much  as  in  their  lack  of  adjustment  or  mal- 
adjustment. The  writer  has  seen  class-rooms, 
even  in  expensive  private  schools,  in  which  all  the 
desks  and  seats  were  of  the  same  height  from  the 
floor,  so  that  the  large  boys  could  hardly  get 
their  knees  under  their  desks  and  had  to  twist 
their  bodies  in  order  to  get  into  a  writing  posi- 
tion, while  the  little  fellows  had  their  feet  raised 
above  the  floor  and,  in  order  to  write,  had  to  lift 
their  right  shoulders  awkwardly.  Either  condi- 
tion is  likely  to  favor  the  beginning  of  a  cur- 
vature, and  a  curvature  once  begun  is  most 
difficult  to  overcome. 

Therefore,  when  the  position  of  a  child's 
shoulders  seems  to  indicate  the  presence  of  cur- 
vature, examine  for  curvature  at  once,  or  have 
some  expert  do  so;  and  in  the  meantime  see  how 
that  child  is  seated.  His  feet  should  reach  the 
floor,  and  the  bench,  which  ought  to  come  rather 
well  forward,  should  give  support  to  the  leg 
nearly  to  the  knee-joint.    The  height  of  the  desk 


THE  PHYSICAL  EXAMINATION      19 

should  be  such  that  the  child  can  place  his  fore- 
arms upon  it,  almost  to  the  elbows,  without 
leaning  forward.  In  fact,  the  desk-top  should 
come  far  enough  backward  to  prevent  altogether 
any  undue  leaning  forward. 

Proper  seating  conditions  will  encourage  the 
taking  of  a  proper  seating  posture,  besides  which 
the  child  should  be  instructed  concerning  the 
values  of  correct  position  when  seated,  standing, 
or  walking — a  matter  too  frequently  neglected  in 
our  schools,  public  and  private.  We  need  not 
take  up  here  a  discussion  concerning  the  effects 
of  sitting  too  long  before  desks  in  the  usual 
school-room.  We  are  beginning,  at  last,  to 
realize  that  the  healthy  normal  child  is  a  restless 
creature,  and  that  though  the  class-room  gives  a 
valuable  self-control,  this  restlessness  should  be 
given  fairly  frequent  opportunity  for  expression. 
The  class-room  seat  and  desk  entirely  too  often 
are  required  to  act  as  a  straight-jacket! 

Flat-foot  is  another  defect  that  may  be  noticed, 
usually,  at  a  glance.  This  condition  is  usually 
present  when  there  seems  to  be  no  arch  to  the 
instep.  This  fault  is  often  brought  about  by 
muscular  weakness  or  by  bad  shoes,  but  some- 
times seems  to  appear  during  a  period  of  exces- 
sive growth.  Tight,  badly-shaped  shoes,  which 
do  not  allow  the  foot  to  conform  to  its  natural 
shape  and  which  restrict  the  natural  movements 


20  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

of  the  foot  when  walking,  are  likely  to  cause  the 
foot  to  turn  outward,  whereas,  in  walking  or  run- 
ning the  foot  naturally  tends  to  point  straight 
ahead,  or  even  a  little  inward.  When  the  shape 
of  a  shoe  prevents  the  foot  from  taking  this 
natural  position,  actually  encouraging  it  to  turn 
more  and  more  outward,  then  the  weight  of  the 
body  is  not  carried  by  the  parts  best  fitted  for  it, 
and  thus  arises  a  strong  likelihood  that  the  arch 
will  be  broken.  This,  however,  does  not  take 
place  before  the  development  of  a  considerable 
amount  of  pain  in  the  foot,  calf,  or  even  in  the 
back.  Therefore  we  can  look  upon  these  signs 
as  timely  warnings. 

Summary  of  Points  Concerning  Carriage 

Common  Faults  Common  Causes 

1.  Hanging  head.  Weak  musculature,   malnu- 

trition, underfeeding,  defective 
eyes. 

2.  Stoop  shoulders  and  flat         Weak  musculature   due  to 
chest.  one  or  more  of  several  causes; 

or  difficulty  in  breathing, 
caused  by  adenoids,  for  ex- 
ample. 

3.  Protruding  abdomen.  Generally  present  with  flat 

chest  and  round  shoulders, 
sometimes  indirectly  caused 
by  them,  but  often  caused  by 
some  serious  digestive  diffi- 
culty. 


THE  PHYSICAL  EXAMINATION      21 

Common  Faults  Common  Causes 

4.  Shoulders  at  unequal  Generally  a  sign  of  spinal 
heights,  twisting  of  the  body  curvature,  which  may  be 
or  abnormal  bending  of  the  brought  on  by  continued  bad 
spine.  posture,  or  may  be  the  result 

of  a  much  more  serious  cause. 

5.  Flat-foot.  May    be    brought    on    by 

muscular  weakness  or  by  badly 
fitting  or  badly  shaped  shoes. 

Procedure 

When  any  of  these  faults  appear,  there  should 
be  a  prompt  and  expert  examination,  and  the 
actual  cause  determined.  It  is  quite  useless,  as 
well  as  unreasonable,  to  blame  a  child  for  taking 
a  bad  posture,  for  not  "sitting  up  straight,"  for 
instance,  when  the  bad  position  is  caused  by  a 
physical  defect.  In  all  cases,  the  child's  parents 
should  be  notified  and  persuaded  to  assist  in 
remedial  measures. 

Facial  Characteristics  \ 

It  is  only  by  putting  together  a  great  number 
of  indications  and  signs  that  one  is  able  to 
approach  a  reliable  physical  diagnosis.  Char- 
acteristics noted  in  a  child's  posture  or  carriage 
may  seem  to  indicate  certain  conditions,  but  by 
no  means  can  they  be  relied  upon  in  themselves. 
They  must  be  considered  in  connection  with  other 
signs,  and  even  then  too  great  caution  cannot  be 


22  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

exercised  in  forming  conclusions.  If  a  child's 
carriage  or  posture  is  likely  to  be  the  first  notice- 
able quality,  the  face  is  certain  to  be  the  second, 
and  from  a  child's  face  much  of  value  can  be 
learned  concerning  the  physical  condition. 

The  nose  may  possess  one  or  more  of  several 
common  faults,  the  presence  of  one  of  which  may 
not  have  a  great  deal  of  meaning.  But  when 
they  occur  along  with  other  facial  abnormalities, 
we  have  occasion  to  be  suspicious.  Common 
faults  are  these:  unnaturally  broad  bridge,  thick- 
ened base,  unusually  small  nostrils,  a  rather 
"puffy"  appearance,  evidences  of  a  chronic 
"cold,"  and  malodorous  breath.  One  or  more  of 
these  conditions  may  indicate  that  there  is  a 
stoppage  of  some  kind  in  the  nasal  passages,  and 
tfce  most  common  kind  of  stoppage  is  caused  by 
abnormal  growths  of  adenoid  tissue.  But  the 
appearance  of  the  nose  alone  is  not  sufficient  to 
warrant  any  decision.  However,  most  of  these 
appearances  are  more  or  less  connected  with 
manifestations  elsewhere,  so  a  consideration  of 
the  latter  is  valuable.  The  mouth  is  a  great  aid 
in  this  respect. 

v  The  commonest  faults  that  appear  in  the  mouth 
are  these:  open  mouth  or  mouth-breathing, 
irregularly  placed  teeth,  over-lapping  front  teeth, 
weak  lower  jaw,  receding  or  small  chin,  V-shaped 
upper  jaw,  high-arched  palate,  and  enlarged  ton- 


THE  PHYSICAL  EXAMINATION      23 

sils.      Decayed  teeth  are  often  very  important 
factors. 

All  but  the  last  two  faults  have  generally  the 
same  cause:  that  is,  some  nasal  obstruction  that 
encourages  or  brings  on  mouth-breathing.  As 
has  been  said,  the  most  usual  cause  of  nasal 
obstruction  is  the  adenoid,  and  the  adenoid  may 
bring  on  the  appearance  of  one  or  more  of  these 
faults. 

If  it  is  difficult  to  breathe  through  the  nose, 
then  naturally  a  child — or  anyone  else — will 
breathe  through  the  mouth.  When  this  becomes 
habitual  with  a  growing  child,  the  roof  of  the 
mouth  often  arches  abnormally  upward,  bringing 
the  sides  of  the  jaw  together  so  that  the  jaw 
itself  becomes  V-shaped.  This  in  turn  causes  the 
teeth  to  overlap,  because  there  is  not  room  enough 
for  them  to  place  themselves  normally.  Because 
the  lower  jaw  hangs  open,  it  becomes  weak,  and 
sometimes  becomes  unnaturally  small,  or  actually 
recedes. 

All  this  brings  on  other  bad  effects.  For 
instance,  because  the  jaws  do  not  meet  normally, 
when  brought  together,  the  food  is  insufficiently 
masticated,  and  thence  may  come  both  chronic 
indigestion  and  constipation. 

When  the  mouth  presents  the  appearance 
as  described,  and  when,  in  addition,  the  nose  is 
also  of  the  adenoid  type,  then  we  can  feel  fairly 


24  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

sure  that  adenoids  are  at  the  root  of  the  trouble. 
If,  with  these  conditions,  are  present  the  hollow 
or  flat  chest,  round  shoulders  with  consequent 
projecting  shoulder-blades,  and  very  poor  breath- 
ing powers,  then  we  can  feel  quite  certain.  In 
any  case,  even  where  there  is  only  suspicion,  an 
examination  by  a  physician  should  be  made. 

With  all  these  indications  of  enlarged  adenoids, 
there  are  sometimes  several  others.  There  may 
be  a  stupid  "look,"  often  actual  stupidity,  fre- 
quent "colds,"  a  nasal  voice,  pale  face,  and  dull- 
looking  eyes.  Also,  a  child  who  has  adenoids 
usually  snores.  Still  another  indication  may  be 
trouble  with  the  ears  or  with  the  hearing.  There 
may  be  actual  ear-ache,  or  discharges  from  the 
ears,  or  partial  deafness  of  more  or  less  severity. 
A  child  having  such  troubles  may  be  reprimanded 
frequently  for  inattention,  when  the  fact  is  that 
the  child  does  not  hear  more  than  half,  and  per- 
haps not  even  that. 

Let  it  be  understood  that  it  does  not  take  the 
appearance  of  all  these  faults  to  make  one  sus- 
picious of  the  presence  of  adenoids.  Almost  any 
one  of  them  should  be  deemed  sufficient  to  occa- 
sion expert  examination. 

Enlarged  tonsils,  which  frequently  accompany 
adenoids,  should  also  be  looked  for  when  examin- 
ing the  mouth. 

Perhaps  you  would  next  notice  the  eyes  of  a 


> 


THE  PHYSICAL  EXAMINATION      25 

child.  The  more  common  faults  are  these: 
" squint,"  blink,  redness  of  the  eye,  inflammation 
of  the  lids,  twitching,  cross-eye  or  strabismus,  di- 
vergent eyes,  hanging  head  and  avoidance  of  light. 

By  many  the  " cross-eye"  has  been  considered 
almost  a  "natural"  condition.  The  fact  is,  how- 
ever, that  it  is  one  of  no  little  seriousness,  for  the 
deflected  eye  frequently  becomes  almost  if  not 
quite  blind;  yet  the  condition  can  be  greatly 
improved  by  early  attention.  As  soon  as  this 
condition  is  noticed,  the  child  should  be  taken  to 
an  oculist,  who  may  be  able  in  great  measure  to 
do  away  with  the  defect. 

It  is  also  very  important  to  notice  at  once  any 
inflammation  of  the  eye  or  of  the  lids,  for  there 
are  several  only  too  common  diseases  which  make 
their  appearance  in  this  manner.  The  other 
faults  are  generally  the  result  of  some  defect  in 
the  mechanism  of  the  eye  itself,  that  is,  such 
faults  as  blinking,  twitching,  straining,  and  the 
like.  If,  when  a  child  reads,  he  holds  his  book  at 
some  very  unusual  length,  this  too  is  a  similar 
indication,  and  should,  as  with  the  others,  lead  to 
an  examination  by  a  competent  oculist. 

Indications  of  eye-strain,  however,  are  not 
limited  to  the  eye  itself,  as  frequent  contraction 
of  the  brows,  or  a  continual  frown,  may  likewise 
be  taken  as  important  considerations.  Again, 
there  may  be  no  visible  sign,  but  a  child,  in  read- 


26  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

ing,  may  make  such  absurd  mistakes,  by  mis- 
pronouncing easy  words,  omitting  others,  and 
adding  still  others,  that  instead  of  condemning 
the  child  for  carelessness,  it  would  be  well  to  have 
the  vision  tested;  for  some  fault  is  likely  to  be 
at  the  bottom  of  the  bad  reading. 

So  much  depends  upon  the  well-being  of  the 
eyes  that  too  much  care  can  hardly  be  used  in 
observing  them.  Eye  defects  are  common  causes 
of  headache,  nervousness,  irritableness,  or  down- 
right bad  temper  or  incorrigibility.  They  are 
very  often  the  cause  of  a  seeming  backwardness 
or  dullness.  The  writer  has  examined  many 
children  supposed  to  be  abnormally  backward 
who  were  able  to  distinguish  words  or  even  letters 
only  with  the  greatest  difficulty.  Proper  treat- 
ment, or  proper  glasses,  may  make  a  seemingly 
stupid  child  into  a  normally  bright  one,  or  a 
cross,  irritable  child  into  a  happy,  cheerful  one. 
Such  treatment  will  frequently  alter  a  child's 
whole  disposition  for  the  better.  Badness  is  quite 
often  the  result  of  some  physical  strain,  and 
among  these  there  are  few  more  common  than 
that  caused  by  defective  eyes. 

We  need  hardly  mention  the  teeth  specifically. 
It  is  well  known  that  decay  affects  the  digestive 
organs  not  only  through  the  constant  swallowing 
of  the  products  of  the  decay,  but  also  because, 
ultimately,  the  food  is  improperly  and  insuffi- 


THE  PHYSICAL  EXAMINATION      27 

ciently  masticated.  This  latter  also  happens 
when  the  teeth  are  badly  adjusted  so  that  they 
are  unable  to  perform  their  functions  properly. 
Not  only  so,  but  the  constant  irritation  caused  by 
bad  teeth  may  drive  a  good-natured  child  almost 
into  incorrigibility. 

Summary  for  Points  Concerning  the  Face 

Common  Faults  Common  Causes 

1.  The    nose.      Broad,    flat  Chronic^stoppage   of   some 

bridge;  thick  base;  very  small  kind,  probably  caused  by  en- 
nostrils;  puffy  appearance;  larged  adenoids,  or  by  a 
malodorous  breath.  chronic  catarrhal  condition. 


2.  The  mouth.  Open  mouth, 
mouth-breathing,  irregular 
teeth,  over-lapping  front  teeth, 
weak  lower  jaw,  receding  lower 
jaw,  high-arched  palate. 

3.  The  ears.  Ear-ache,  dis- 
charge, partial  deafness. 


4.  The  eyes,  (a)  Twitching, 
blinking,  hanging  head,  reading 
at  unnatural  distances,  inward 
or  outward  strabismus. 

(6)  Redness  of  the  eye.  In- 
flammation of  any  kind. 


Nasal  obstruction,  probably 
caused  by  adenoids;  enlarged 
tonsils  often  accompanying 
adenoids. 


.Sometimes  caused  by  condi- 
tions developing  with  enlarged 
adenoids  or  tonsils  or  accom- 
panying inflammations. 

(a)  Faulty  mechanism  of  the 
eye,  calling  for  services  of  an 
oculist. 

(6)  May  be  caused  by  the 
presence  of  some  dangerous 
contagious  disease. 


5.  The  teeth.    Decay. 


Lack  of  attention,  or  effect 
of  certain  diseases. 


28  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

Procedure 

When  any  of  the  clear  indications  of  adenoids 
or  other  nasal  stoppage  is  present,  examination  by 
a  physician  is  in  order,  as  is  also  the  case  when 
contagious  diseases  of  the  eye  are  considered. 
When  faulty  eye-mechanism  is  in  evidence,  then 
the  advice  of  an  oculist  should  be  had  without 
delay.  Decayed  teeth  should  occasion  not  only 
a  prompt  visit  to  the  dentist,  but  also  careful 
instruction  as  to  the  care  of  teeth. 

It  is  hardly  the  place  of  this  book  to  go  deeply 
into  the  eye  and  ear  tests.  A  Snellen  Chart  is 
useful  in  obtaining  a  rough  judgment  as  to  the 
fitness  of  the  eyes,  being  careful  to  cover  the  eye 
not  in  use,  and  to  see  that  the  chart  is  well 
lighted.  A  simple  way  of  testing  for  hearing  is 
to  stand  behind  the  subject  with  a  soft-ticking 
watch.  Have  the  child's  eyes  blindfolded.  Bring 
the  watch  slowly  towards  one  ear,  telling  the 
child  to  speak  as  soon  as  the  watch  is  heard, 
indicating  which  ear  is  nearest  the  watch.  Try 
the  experiment  a  number  of  times,  and  do  not 
test  the  ears  alternately,  but  try  the  same  ear 
twice  or  even  three  times  in  succession,  and  so 
break  the  order  that  the  child  cannot  guess  which 
ear  you  are  testing.  Note  the  distances  at  which 
the  child  hears  the  watch  with  either  ear.  If 
there  is  a  great  difference  in  distance,  you  can 
feel  sure  there  is  some  marked  fault.    You  should 


THE  PHYSICAL  EXAMINATION      29 

have  your  watch  tested  by  a  number  of  seemingly 
normal  children  so  that  you  can  have  some  judg- 
ment as  to  how  far  from  the  ear  it  can  generally 
be  heard. 

The  Hands 

Several  facts  can  be  noticed  by  even  a  brief 
examination  of  a  child's  hands.  For  instance,  in 
shaking  hands  with  a  child,  it  can  be  noticed  if 
the  hand  has  a  normal  temperature,  or  whether  it 
is  very  dry,  or  hot,  or  cold  and  moist.  It  can  be 
noticed  whether  the  grip  is  firm  and  reasonably 
strong,  or  if  it  shows  excessive,  jerky,  nervous 
strength,  or  is  flabby  and  lacking  in  energy.  At 
the  same  time  you  can  see  whether  the  finger- 
nails are  bitten,  whether  the  back  of  the  hand  is 
red,  and  if  it  is  reasonably  clean  or  not.  If  the 
back  of  the  hand  is  red,  press  the  thumb  upon  it, 
and  so  leave  a  white  mark  where  the  pressure 
was  exercised.  In  this  connection  it  is  important 
to  note  how  rapidly  or  slowly  the  blood  flows 
back  again  into  the  white  area.  If  the  hand  is 
not  clean,  then  it  is  important  to  judge  whether 
it  is  the  uncleanliness  of  the  day — and  there  is 
something  the  matter  with  a  boy  whose  hands 
are  always  scrupulously  clean! — or  the  unclean- 
liness of  many  days,  which  indicates  something 
concerning  home  environment — as  does  the  pro- 
verbial " low-water  mark"  not  infrequently  visible 
behind  the  ears  and  along  the  back  of  the  neck! 


30  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

A  few  other  points  can  be  observed.  Ask  the 
child  to  extend  his  arms  straight  out  before  him. 
The  four  illustrations  show  characteristic  positions 
which  may  be  taken  by  the  hands.  The  first 
shows  a  normal  healthy  condition,  the  hands 
being  held  straight  out,  strongly,  but  not  with 
unnecessary  vigor.  The  second  shows  a  nervous 
type  of  hand.  In  such  a  case  an  excessive 
amount  of  nervous  energy  is  called  into  action, 
and  also  into  very  easy,  simple  movements.  In 
this  case  the  abnormal  tension  distorts  the  hand 
as  shown.  The  third  type  indicates  that  a  nor- 
mal amount  of  energy  is  lacking.  This  is  shown 
by  the  drooping  of  the  thumbs.  If  the  child  is 
actually  tired,  the  thumbs  will  droop  anyway,  but 
if  the  child  has  no  reason  for  being  tired — phys- 
ically or  mentally — then  the  drooping  of  the 
thumbs  is  to  be  noticed,  though  the  indication  is 
not  so  important  as  that  shown  in  the  fourth 
illustration.  Here  the  whole  hand  droops  as 
though  it  were  utterly  lacking  in  energy.  For  a 
child  physically  or  even  mentally  tired,  such  a 
position  might  not  be  made  a  matter  for  atten- 
tion; but  when  there  should  be  no  signs  of  fatigue, 
then  it  should  be  noted  as  an  important  indica- 
tion. 

Some  of  these  conditions  concerning  a  child's 
hands  may  be  not  so  important  in  themselves  as 
adjuncts  in  building  up  a  general  impression  of 


THE  PHYSICAL  EXAMINATION      31 

the  child.  Taken  in  consideration  with  other 
points,  hot  and  dry  hands  often  indicate  a 
feverish  condition,  and  cold  and  moist  hands  are 
sometimes  signs  of  low  vitality,  or  sometimes, 
with  boys,  they  may  indicate  bad  habits.  An 
excessively  strong  grip  is  often  the  sign  of  a  ner- 
vous condition,  which  causes  one  to  put  forth,  in 
every  action,  much  more  energy  than  is  required. 
The  flabby,  weak  hand,  as  might  be  supposed, 
tells  of  a  vitality  below  normal  from  some  cause 
or  other. 

Bitten  finger-nails  are  another  sign  of  an 
unhealthy  nervous  condition,  a  condition  which 
may  have  been  brought  on  by  causes  as  diverse 
as  eye-strain,  malnutrition,  and  cigarette  smok- 
ing. 

Where  the  pressure  of  the  thumb  leaves  a  white 
area  on  the  back  of  a  red  hand,  we  have  a  crude 
means  for  making  a  quick  judgment  as  to  the 
circulation.  If  the  return  of  the  blood  is  rapid, 
then  we  have  a  reason  for  thinking  the  circulation 
to  be  in  fairly  good  condition  any  way.  If,  on 
the  contrary,  the  white  mark  remains  a  long 
while,  especially  if  the  back  of  the  hand  appears 
not  only  red  but  more  or  less  rough  as  well,  then 
we  can  consider  the  possibility  of  cyanosis  being 
present — some  unhealthy  condition  of  the  vaso- 
motor system.  The  other  points  noted  about  the 
hands  explain  themselves. 


32  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

Summary  of  Points  Concerning  the  Hands 

Indications  Causes 

1.  Excessive  energy  dis-  Nervous  condition,  which 
played  in  action:  in  grip,  and  may  be  the  result  of  one  of 
in  extending  the  hands.                   many  conditions. 

2.  Temperature:  hot  and  Feverish  condition,  or  re- 
dry,  or  cold  and  moist.                   duced  vitality. 

3.  Circulation,  as  shown  by  Slow  return  of  blood  may 
thumb-pressure    on    back    of      indicate  cyanosis. 

hand. 

4.  Drooping  of  thumbs  or  Lack  of  energy,  caused  by 
drooping  of  hands  when  ex-  fatigue  or  by  reduced  vitality, 
tended. 

5.  Marked    and    continued  Lack    of    care    on    part    of 
uncleanliness  of  hands.                    parents  or  poor  home  environ- 
ment. 

Procedure 

When  any  of  the  above  signs  of  an  unhealthy 
physical  condition  are  apparent,  especially  when 
they  are  connected  with  other  signs  to  which  thejr 
add  emphasis,  the  thing  to  do  is  to  have  the  child 
examined  by  a  physician,  who  may  not  only  find 
the  definite  cause,  but  suggest  a  plan  for  remedial 
work  which  can  be  aided  by  certain  kinds  of 
exercise.  In  the  case  of  persistent  uncleanliness, 
the  child  should  be  given  proper  ideas  on  the 
subject,  and  the  social-worker,  if  there  is  one,  or 
"  visitor,"  should  see  the  child's  home  and  parents. 


THE  PHYSICAL  EXAMINATION      33 

Nervous  Affections 

A  teacher  is  very  likely  to  see  many  kinds  of 
nervous  affections  in  every  large  body  of  children. 
Although  the  cause  is  not  generally  to  be  found 
in  the  school  itself,  a  teacher  or  physical  instructor 
should  be  able  to  recognize  signs  of  common  ner- 
vous disorders  and  see  that  children  having  them 
are  examined  and  cared  for  by  proper  authorities. 
The  troubles  of  this  character  most  common 
among  children  are  stuttering  and  stammering, 
chorea,  hysteria,  and  epilepsy.  Let  us  consider 
them  in  order. 

Stuttering  and  stammering,  though  seemingly 
much  alike,  have  rather  different  physical  condi- 
tions behind  them,  and  are  more  or  less  readily 
distinguished.  In  stammering  the  child  seems  to 
have  difficulty  with  individual  sounds,  while  with 
stuttering  the  difficulty  is  more  likely  to  be  with 
syllables.  Besides,  with  the  latter,  a  kind  of  spasm 
seems  to  accompany  the  impeded  utterance — a 
condition  not  evident  with  stammering.  Fur- 
thermore, stammering  is  often  accompanied  by 
anomalies  of  the  lips,  the  tongue,  or  of  the  artic- 
ulating organs  in  general,  while  such  defects  are 
not  common  with  stutterers.  More  "nervous- 
ness" underlies  stuttering  than  stammering. 

Either  stammering  or  stuttering  may  be  excited 
by  overwork,  undernourishment,  some  unusual 
strain  or  excitement,  or  may  be  the  effects  of  a 


34  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

fever,  while  some  forms  of  stuttering  are  likely  to 
be  of  hysterical  origin.  In  such  a  case  the  gen- 
eral condition  of  the  child  would  need  attention. 
Such  causes  as  have  been  mentioned  probably  lie 
behind  temporary  forms  of  these  affections. 
When  the  trouble  is  more  deeply  seated,  however, 
in  a  large  percentage  of  cases  an  entire  cure  can- 
not be  expected.  In  all  cases  a  scientific  training 
in  speech-work,  and  a  careful  study  and,  if  nec- 
essary, an  improvement  of  a  child's  general  phys- 
ical condition  and  environment,  may  do  much  to 
improve  the  disorder. 

Chorea,  or  St.  Vitus'  dance,  is  met  with,  occa- 
sionally, in  the  class-room,  generally  in  some  mild 
form.  In  these  cases  a  child  may  seem  restless, 
unable  to  hold  objects  for  any  length  of  time, 
may  be  excitable,  may  fall  easily,  and  may  make 
purposeless,  spasmodic,  or  unexpected  move- 
ments. Efforts  to  restrain  these  actions  seem  to 
stimulate  them,  excitement  of  the  exercising  of 
the  affected  muscles  seeming  to  have  the  same 
effect.  When  the  affection  is  very  mild,  little 
more  may  be  noticed  than  a  kind  of  awkwardness 
shown  in  ordinary  motions  and  muscular  ac- 
tions, perhaps  accompanied  by  uneasy  bodily 
motions. 

A  child  displaying  any  of  the  above  symptoms 
should  have  medical  attention,  the  teacher's  and 
parents'  part  being  to  see  that  the  child  has 


THE  PHYSICAL  EXAMINATION      35 

hygienic  surroundings,  quiet,  rest,  and  much 
open-air  life,  as  well  as  entire  freedom  from 
excitement. 

True  hysteria  is  so  marked  in  its  action  that, 
like  epilepsy,  there  is  little  likelihood  of  its  exist- 
ing unnoticed.  A  child  possessing  a  strong  tend- 
ency toward  hysteria  will  be  frequently  moody 
and  choleric  or  irritable.  Or  he  will  be  sad  and 
melancholy,  and  will  be  likely  to  shun  the  society 
of  his  fellows.  The  fits  themselves  generally 
begin  with  a  suffocating  sensation,  followed  by  a 
rigidity,  with  consciousness  much  affected.  Then 
follow  spasmodic  shocks  and  a  brief  repose.  This 
is  generally  followed  by  violent  shocks,  then  a 
delirium  filled  with  sorrows  and  appeals,  then 
subsidence,  and  the  attack  is  at  an  end.  This,  of 
course,  describes  a  serious  type  of  attack.  Many 
do  not  reach  such  an  intensity. 

The  causes  seem  to  be  heredity,  or  some  excit- 
ing cause,  such  as  a  fright  or  shock.  Hysteria 
may  follow  an  accident.  Exciting  or  depressing 
emotions  may  bring  on  this  affection.  Fright  is 
perhaps  the  most  common  cause  for  children  who 
are  predisposed  to  hysteria.  Another  cause  may 
be  "defective  education,"  the  effect  showing  in  a 
child  who  has  never  been  corrected,  controlled,  or 
disciplined,  who  has  been  indulged  in  all  his 
caprices,  and  who  has  been  allowed  to  develop 
exciting  emotions  by  any  means  he  has  desired. 


36  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

Such  a  child,  when  checked  or  "baulked,"  will  be 
likely  to  show  signs  of  hysteria,  if  there  is  any 
predisposition  towards  it  at  all. 

Right  here  is  one  of  the  dangers  existing  in  so 
many  "new"  educational  systems,  which  are 
built  upon  a  false  and  silly  sentimentality,  gen- 
erally by  persons  who  are  ignorant  of  the  fact 
that  self-control,  a  vitally  necessary  factor  for 
happiness  and  success,  is  developed  largely  by 
means  of  an  intelligent  discipline.  The  discipline 
affecting  the  lives  of  adults  is  a  very  stern  and 
severe  one.  We  have  to  learn  to  accustom  our- 
selves to  the  ever  present  "must"  and  "must 
not."  Obedience  comes  only  through  long  train- 
ing. Allowing  children  to  develop  according  to 
their  own  instincts,  allowing  them  very  largely  to 
follow  their  own  desires  and  pleasures,  endeavor- 
ing to  train  and  educate  them  by  means  of  subtle 
persuasions,  develops  wilfulness  instead  of  will- 
power, and  egotism  instead  of  self-control.  Many 
a  hysterical  and  uncontrollable  child  is  so  because 
of  this  very  kind  of  training,  or  lack  of  training, 
which  is  bad  enough  when  developed  in  the  home 
by  ignorant  or  weak-willed  parents,  and  still  more 
pernicious  when  actually  systematized  and  prac- 
ticed upon  children  by  the  score. 

With  hysteria,  medical  attention  is  likely  to  be 
necessary;  but  the  treatment  should  be  moral  as 
well  as  physical.     Moral  education,  of  whatever 


THE  PHYSICAL  EXAMINATION      37 

kind  needed,  with  temporary  isolation  and  out- 
door exercise,  are  great  aids  in  fighting  this  dis- 
order. 

Epilepsy  may  show  itself  by  slight  muscular 
spasms,  of  the  outer  eye  muscles,  for  instance,  or 
of  a  finger.  Or  there  may  be  spasmodic  actions 
of  small  or  large  muscular  groups.  In  severe 
cases  a  child  will  fall  to  the  ground  with  a  cry, 
convulsed,  with  face  at  first  pale  and  later  con- 
gested; the  teeth  set  and  the  hands  clenched. 
Violent  spasms  are  then  followed  by  sleep,  which 
may  last  several  hours. 

Epilepsy  is  not  a  mere  motor  disease,  but  it 
is  an  indication  of  serious  degeneration,  in  most 
cases,  of  the  higher  intellectual  spheres  of  the 
brain.  Signs  of  the  mental  condition  are  rages, 
forgetfulness,  moral  perversions,  and  various  delu- 
sional ideas.  When  the  disease  is  chronic,  there 
is  a  deterioration  of  the  mental  faculties  which 
continues  without  hope  of  cure.  Temporary 
affections  may  be  brought  on  by  various  strains, 
such  as  intestinal  indigestion,  or  eye-strain,  for 
instance.  The  writer  knows  of  a  case  or  two 
undoubtedly  excited  by  frightful  school-room 
lighting. 

When  epilepsy  is  observed  in  a  child,  there  is 
but  one  procedure,  that  is,  immediate  medical 
attention;  and,  if  the  case  is  chronic,  perhaps 
institutional  care  is  best. 


38 


PHYSICAL  TRAINING 


Summary  of  Points  Concerning  Nervous  Affections 

Common  Faults 

1.  Stuttering:  nervous  con- 
dition, temporary  or  incurable. 

Stammering:  nervous  condi- 
tion, rarely  curable,  often  ac- 
companied with  anomalies  of 
the  articulating  organs. 


Common  Causes 
Sometimes    congenital,    ex- 
cited   by    exhaustion,    excite- 
ment,   or   other    physical 
affection. 


2.  Chorea:  restlessness, 
dropping  things,  excitability, 
spasmodic  purposeless  move- 
ments, unusual  awkwardness, 
irritability  or  too  ready 
laughter. 


Heredity,  shock,  some  dis- 
ease, such  as  scarlet  fever. 


3.  Hysteria:  moodiness, 
great  irritability,  melancholy, 
"fits"  as  described. 


Heredity,  shock,  great  ex- 
citement, or  defective  educa- 
tion. 


4.  Epilepsy:  slight  muscular 
spasms,  severe  "fits"  as  de- 
scribed, rages,  forgetfulness, 
mental  deterioration,  delu- 
sions. 


Temporary  —  some  physical 
strain.  Chronic  —  serious  de- 
generation in  brain  structure. 


ANTHROPOMETRY 


CHAPTER  II 
Anthropometry 

Real  anthropometry  is  such  a  young  science 
that  it  has  not  yet  been  decided  as  to  the  best 
method  for  tabulating  the  measurements  of  chil- 
dren. Its  early  beginnings  were  connected  with 
the  development  of  art,  and  ancient  artists 
seemed  more  likely  to  consider  what  they  thought 
to  be  " ideal"  proportions  of  the  human  body 
than  the  actual  proportions.  This  accounts 
for  the  grotesque  physiques  shown  in  much 
ancient  sculpture  developed  before  the  Grecian 
period. 

The  greatest  advance  was  caused  indirectly  by 
the  Olympic  Games.  It  was  customary  to  have 
statues  made  of  the  winners,  so  that  the  propor- 
tions of  the  best  athletes  of  Greece  became  a  mat- 
ter of  close  study.  The  existent  statues  of  this 
period  are  certainly  fine  examples  of  natural 
types  of  men  and  women. 

Early  artists  endeavored  to  find \ some  part  of 
the  body  which  might  be  used  as  a  unit  of  meas- 
ure. The  Egyptians  used  the  length  of  the  mid- 
dle finger,  deciding  how  many  such  lengths  should 
be   the   proportion    of    any   part    of    the   body. 

(41) 


42  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

Albrecht  Diirer,  of  Nuremberg,  who  died  in  1528, 
developed  a  system  in  which  the  height  was  taken 
for  unity,  the  length  of  the  foot  being  one-sixth 
of  this  unit,  the  head  one-seventh  and  so  on. 
This  artificial  standard  seemed  faulty  to  Schadow, 
another  German  artist,  who  died  in  1850.  He  took 
the  measurements  of  a  number  of  artists'  models 
and  from  these  constructed  a  table  of  proportions, 
and,  though  he  used  picked  types,  and  of  course  a 
small  number  compared  with  the  numbers  used 
these  days,  his  figures  compare  very  favorably 
with  those  of  Hastings  in  our  own  time. 

In  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century,  with 
the  great  interest  developed  in  the  natural  sci- 
ences, there  came,  with  the  close  study  of  the 
physical  man,  a  careful  study  of  his  proportions. 

The  word  "  anthropometry "  owes  its  origin  to 
the  man  who  made  the  first  really  intelligent 
system  of  measurements.  This  was  Quetelet, 
who  died  in  1874.  He  not  only  studied  human 
proportions  generally,  but  endeavored  to  find  the 
normal  proportions  of  the  different  races.  He 
published  a  table  of  the  heights  and  weights  of 
Belgian  children,  but  the  development  of  these 
measurements  with  age  seems  to  follow  a  series 
quite  different  from  figures  found  elsewhere,  mak- 
ing it  seem  that  for  some  of  the  ages  Quetelet  did 
not  have  a  great  number  of  subjects. 

Dr.  H.  P.  Bowditch,  of  Boston,  and  Francis 


ANTHROPOMETRY  43 

Galton,  of  London,  developed  splendid  and  useful 
systems.  Galton  particularly  developed  the 
scheme  of  grouping  all  the  measurements  of  one 
item,  say  height,  into  percentile  groups,  making  it 
easy  to  determine  the  mean,  making  it  possible 
for  one  to  tell  that  a  certain  individual,  for 
example,  excelled  a  certain  percentage  of  individ- 
uals, or  was  excelled  in  turn  by  a  certain  percent- 
age. 

Galton's  system  made  it  possible  to  represent 
the  size  of  a  group  graphically,  and  this  is  the 
system  most  usually  carried  out  in  our  higher 
educational  systems. 

In  1861  Dr.  Hitchcock,  of  Amherst,  began 
taking  the  physical  measurements  of  pupils, 
and  educational  systems  generally  followed  his 
example,  till  now  this  measuring  is  carried  out 
with  great  thoroughness  by  nearly  all  educational 
institutions  of  importance,  including  high  schools 
and  private  academies.  Therefore  many  tables 
of  measurements  have  been  compiled,  perhaps 
the  best  and  most  useful  being  those  of  Dr. 
Hastings,  of  Springfield.  His  manual  gives  the 
measurements  of  a  great  number  of  children,  from 
infancy  upward,  all  arranged  in  the  percentile 
form.  These  tables  are  of  immense  value  for  the 
quick  determination  of  an  individual's  deviation 
from  type. 

Generally  speaking,  measurements  of  children 


44  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

have  been  arranged  in  groups  according  to  the 
chronological  age  of  those  measured,  but  about 
four  years  ago  Dr.  C.  Ward  Crampton,  of  the 
Department  of  Physical  Education  of  the  New 
York  City  Schools  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
this  system  was  not  altogether  reliable,  especially 
through  a  certain  span  of  years.  The  fact  is  that 
there  is  a  great  variation  in  measurements  of 
children  of  the  same  age  chronologically,  but 
differing  widely  in  physical  maturity,  that  is,  the 
post-pubescent  children  of  a  certain  age  are  likely 
to  be  much  larger  than  pre-pubescent  children  of 
the  same  age.  So  it  seemed  to  him  that  an  ideal 
system  should  consider  the  physiological  age, 
thus  making  for  a  great  and  difficult  complication 
— true  though  the  judgment  be. 

But  it  seems  to  the  writer  that  a  very  impor- 
tant point  has  been  lost  sight  of.  It  is  very 
evident  that  people  do  not  conform  to  one  partic- 
ular type  of  build.  There  are  not  only  racial 
characteristics,  but  distinct  family  characteristics. 
For  instance,  we  sometimes  see  children  who  are 
very  slender,  and  we  find  their  parents  slender 
also,  or  one  parent,  and  perhaps  his  or  her  pa- 
rents also.  The  slender  type  is  far  from  being 
uncommon.  On  the  other  hand,  the  thick-set 
type  is  fairly  common,  too,  and  the  variations  can 
be  seen  among  people  of  the  same  race.  So  it 
must  be  a  great  error  to  say  that  a  child  of  a 


ANTHROPOMETRY  45 

certain  age,  physiological  or  chronological,  should 
have  a  certain  shoulder  girth,  or  chest  expansion, 
or  the  like,  for  the  simple  reason  that  a  table  of 
usual  averages  would  make  both  the  slender  and 
thick-set  types  abnormal,  whereas  they  are  per- 
fectly normal  and  healthy  types.  Of  course,  too, 
there  are  types  that  fall  in  between  these  two 
extremes.  We  might  say  there  is  a  "medium" 
type  of  build,  which  is  really  an  average  of  all  the 
builds,  and  possibly  40  per  cent  of  all  children 
might  conform  to  this  average  or  medium  type. 
Naturally  we  cannot  consider  all  the  intermediate 
variations,  for  to  tabulate  them  would  make  the 
process  far  too  cumbrous.  But  it  is  a  fairly 
simple  matter  to  distinguish  the  three  obvious 
types — the  slender,  the  medium,  and  the  heavy 
— and  arrange  height  tables  for  each  type  of 
physique.  Chronological  age  tables  cannot  be 
relied  on,  particularly  in  the  United  States,  where 
there  is  an  intermingling  of  such  a  variety  of 
races  that  average  heights  for  different  ages  vary 
greatly.  Therefore,  if  we  are  to  have  an  effective 
table  of  proportions  for  muscular  development, 
we  will  have  to  consider  the  three  types  along  with 
a  height  standard,  and  though  chronological  age 
averages  may  be  mentioned,  they  must  not  be 
given  very  great  value. 

The  measurement  tables  published  in  this  book, 
therefore,  are  arranged  according  to  height  and 


46  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

to  the  three  types  mentioned.  The  writer  is  well 
aware  that  in  abandoning  the  usual  chronological 
age  standard,  or  the  age-height  standard,  there  is 
likely  to  arise  a  great  deal  of  adverse  criticism, 
not  so  much  because  of  any  seeming  fault  in  the 
system  herein  proposed,  but  largely  because  we 
have  all  grown  up  with  the  idea  that  children  of 
about  the  same  age  should  be  about  the  same 
height,  and  have  about  the  same  girths.  And 
yet,  no  doubt,  many  children  of  a  naturally  slen- 
der physique — a  physique  typical  of  their  partic- 
ular families — children  who  are  perfectly  strong 
and  healthy  in  their  slenderness,  have  been 
worried,  or  their  parents  have  been  worried, 
because  some  ignorant  physical  instructor  or 
examiner,  or  even  physician,  has  said  that  they 
were  ten  pounds  or  more  under  weight,  for 
instance,  or  too  narrow  for  their  height,  or  far  too 
thin,  and  so  on.  And  so  it  is  likely,  also,  that 
children  who  were  considerably  heavier  than  the 
" average"  for  their  age  and  height  have  been 
induced  to  take  weight-decreasing  exercises,  and 
perhaps  even  encouraged  to  concern  themselves 
with  special  weight-reducing  diets. 

The  value  of  measuring  should  be  the  informa- 
tion it  can  give  concerning  proportions  and  mus- 
cular development,  and  the  direct  effect  upon  the 
child  measured;  for  by  this  simple  process  chil- 
dren can  be  greatly  interested  in  their  physical 


ANTHROPOMETRY  47 

status,  can  be  given  a  strong  desire  for  improve- 
ment, and  can  even  be  brought  to  such  a  condi- 
tion that  they  will  sacrifice  almost  anything  that 
will  tend  to  harm  their  physiques  or  that  will  pre- 
vent the  best  development. 

These  tables  are  planned  to  enable  a  physical 
instructor  or  examiner,  or  even  a  teacher  or  a 
parent,  to  find  if  a  child  is  well-developed  for  his 
height  and  type.  Also,  the  whole  system  is 
planned  so  that  its  application  will  be  likely  to 
give  a  child  a  compelling  interest  in  his  physique 
— an  interest  that  will  not  only  cause  him  to 
desire  to  improve  it  and  to  perfect  it,  but  that 
will  also  cause  him  to  abandon  willingly  bad 
habits  that  will  tend  to  hurt  him  physically.  A 
study  of  "boy  psychology"  indicates  that  a  nor- 
mal boy  is  more  interested  in  his  physical  devel- 
opment than  in  any  other  one  thing,  and  that  if 
he  has  not  this  characteristic  interest,  it  can  be 
aroused  easily  by  measuring  his  "muscles,"  show- 
ing him  photographs  of  boys,  or  actual  boys  of 
his  own  age,  who  have  acquired  first-class  mus- 
cular developments,  by  having  him  hear  a  talk  or 
two  given  by  some  prominent  local  athlete,  and 
by  getting  him  to  compete  with  other  boys  for 
physical  improvement  or  for  the  possession  of 
the  best  "all-round"  physique. 

In  Philadelphia,  where  this  system  has  been 
carried  on  experimentally  for  several  years,  com- 


48  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

petitions  of  this  kind  were  held  in  four  public 
schools — competitions  for  the  greatest  physical 
improvement  during  the  year,  thus  giving  the 
best  chance  to  those  having  the  worst  physiques, 
and  competitions  between  schools  to  find  the  boy 
with  the  best  all-round  physique.  The  interest 
in  these  contests  has  been  extraordinary  from  the 
beginning.  Again,  when  the  boys  were  first  meas- 
ured, they  were  rated  as  "First  Class,"  "Second 
Class,"  or  "Third  Class,"  according  to  their  phys- 
ical status,  and  they  wore  buttons  indicating  to 
which  "class"  they  belonged.  The  third-class 
boys  hated  to  advertise  themselves  as  being  only 
"third-rate,"  but  they  had  to  wear  the  buttons 
so  as  to  be  eligible  for  membership  in  various 
recreational  and  vocational-guidance  clubs  which 
were  organized  for  their  benefit.  So  they  wore 
the  low-class  buttons,  but  did  all  in  their  power 
to  become  second-class  and  even  first. 

This  system  has  been  most  effective  in  causing 
the  boys  to  strive  for  physical  perfection.  The 
writer  is  acquainted  with  one  class  of  forty  boys 
about  to  graduate  from  one  of  the  grammar 
schools,  in  which  this  system  is  being  tried  out 
for  the  third  year.  At  the  beginning  this  class 
contained  but  one  first-class  boy.  Now  over 
half  the  class  is  first-class,  and  all  but  three  of  the 
remainder  second-class. 

The  winners  of  the  competitions  have  their 


ANTHROPOMETRY  49 

photographs  taken,  and  these  are  permanently 
displayed  in  their  schools.  The  whole  process 
interests  the  boys  so  much  that  they  are  always 
anxious  to  know  what  kind  of  things  will  improve 
their  physical  development,  and  what  things  will 
harm  it.  But  there  are  no  " anti-cigarette"  talks, 
for  instance.  "Anti"  talks  of  any  kind  con- 
stitute negative  teaching,  which  is  excessively  bad 
pedagogy  and  psychology,  and  quite  without 
beneficial  effect.  The  "don't"  method  is  an 
abject  failure.  The  only  kind  of  teaching  is  a 
positive  teaching.  Encourage  the  children  to  do 
something  that  will  indirectly  prevent  or  dis- 
courage them  from  doing  something  that  they 
should  not  do,  and  you  will  find  this  method  as 
effective  as  you  can  desire.  So,  in  the  carrying 
on  of  this  system,  such  a  matter  as  smoking 
might  be  mentioned  almost  casually,  thus: 

"Well,  cigarettes  will  not  kill  you  right  off,  I 
dare  say,  and  I  suppose  they  will  not  immediately 
make  you  stone  blind,  or  crazy,  or  give  you  con- 
sumption, or  the  like.  But  there  is  one  thing 
about  it:  if  you  do  smoke — well,  the  fellows  who 
don't,  will  get  ahead  of  you  in  this  competition!" 

To  boys  that  makes  a  perfectly  logical  argu- 
ment. They  characteristically  like  competitions, 
and  they  wish  very  much  to  win  this  kind  of  com- 
petition. Through  such  a  means  any  bad  habit 
can   be   effectively   attacked,  from   such  simple 


50  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

matters  as  coffee-drinking  and  keeping  late  hours, 
to  more  serious  ones. 

So,  you  see,  there  is  more  in  the  physical  train- 
ing of  boys  than  the  mere  giving  of  exercises  and 
the  taking  of  measurements.  The  measurements 
may  or  may  not  be  valuable  in  themselves,  but 
the  effect  of  measuring  upon  the  children  can  be 
made  a  strong  and  decided  influence  for  good,  an 
influence  for  clean  morality  a  hundred  times  more 
effective  than  any  number  of  "don't"  class-room 
lessons  on  the  physiology  of  sex  hygiene.  It  is 
an  "indirect"  method  for  moral  development, 
and  all  the  more  effective  because  indirect. 


ATHLETICS  AND  SPORTS 


*>• 


CHAPTER  III 
Athletics  and  Sports 

There  are  few  influences  more  valuable  than 
those  of  our  usual  school  sports  and  athletics — 
when  they  are  managed  with  care  and  judgment. 
They  organize  the  native  "play"  spirit  of  the 
child,  and  play  is  of  the  very  greatest  import  in 
the  moral,  mental,  and  physical  development  of 
the  girl  and  the  boy.  And  by  play  I  mean  the 
kind  of  play  characteristic  of  children  in  the  dif- 
ferent stages  of  their  development,  and  not  the 
kinds  of  play  sometimes  forced  upon  them  by 
ignorant  or  unthinking  adults  for  the  avowed 
reason  that  the  children  will  be  benefited  thereby. 

A  very  good  example  is  dancing.  All  children 
like  to  dance,  and_many  dances  have  almost 
spontaneously  sprung  up  among  children — 
individual,  primitive  dances,  such  as  can  be  found 
among  the  street  children  in  our  large  cities. 
I  do  not  mean  the  ordinary,  dancing-school 
"round"  or  "contact"  dance  at  all,  with  its 
artificial  environment  and  manner,  its  unvaried 
movement,  and  baneful  psychic  influence.  I 
mean  the  more  free  and  open  dance  of  the  "folk" 
variety,   where   the  movements  are  varied   and 

(53) 


54  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

graceful,  and  where  the  pleasure  is  primarily  in 
the  movement  and  not  in  sex  interest,  as  is  the 
case  in  the  common  dancing-school  dances.  Dr. 
G.  Stanley  Hall  tells  us  that  the  first  kind  of 
dance  is  immensely  valuable,  but  that  dancing 
has  fallen  on  "evil  days,"  and  that  the  modern 
dance  has  for  its  attraction  sex  interest  only. 

Generally,  too,  where  children  are  sent  by  the 
dozen  to  the  semi-fashionable  dancing  school,  we 
find  their  parents  of  the  well-to-do  type  whose 
children  so  often  "go  wrong."  We  find  these 
children  are  rarely  allowed  full  play  to  their  many 
natural  instincts.  Their  parents  cannot  realize 
that  the  boy  of  twelve  is  not  a  man  in  miniature, 
but  a  creature  as  different  from  a  man  as  one 
kind  of  animal  is  from  another.  These  parents 
do  not  realize  that  their  children  have  many  nor- 
mal characteristic  instincts — both  girls  and  boys 
— which  must  be  provided  with  means  for  a 
natural  expression  to  prevent  a  perverted  break- 
ing-out later  on.  Here  is  the  fatal  mistake  of 
creating  an  adult  standard  of  manners  for  young 
children — the  dangerous  endeavor  to  make  the 
boys  and  girls  little  "gentlemen"  and  little 
"ladies."  They  are  sent  to  dancing  school  to  get 
poise  and  manners,  and  an  artificial  standard  of 
behavior  is  forced  upon  them.  The  outlets  for 
the  expression  of  their  normal  semi-barbaric 
instincts  are  closed  to  them,  and  only  one  instinct 


ATHLETICS  AND  SPORTS  55 

is  permitted  opportunity  for  free  and  precocious 
development — that  is,  the  sex  instinct.  Our 
dancing  schools,  where  children  of  the  "best" 
families  go,  are  but  institutions  for  suppressing 
natural  instincts  and  for  the  encouraging  of  the 
precocious  development  of  instincts  which  do  not 
need  encouragement  at  all.  The  moral  downfall 
of  many  such  children  has  undoubtedly  begun  in 
the  common  children's  dancing  class. 

But  many  folk  dances  are  excellent,  and 
children  actually  enjoy  them.  And  it  is  an 
encouraging  point  that  they  are  gradually  being 
introduced,  largely  through  the  influence  of  the 
public  schools. 

It  is  not  the  place  of  this  book  to  describe  the 
many  plays  and  games  that  are  so  valuable  for 
children.  There  are  a  number  of  able  and  com- 
prehensive books  on  the  subject.  A  few  words  of 
criticism  and  warning,  however,  are  quite  in  place. 

Co-operative  sports,  requiring  the  organization 
of  " teams,"  are  very  valuable.  Good  team-work 
means  the  elimination  of  the  individual  ego,  and 
a  boy  learns  to  sacrifice  himself  and  his  desire  for 
getting  into  the  "lime-light"  for  the  sake  of  his 
team.  This  co-operative  spirit  develops  with 
adolescence,  before  which  time  "teams"  are  but 
collections  of  individuals,  of  which  every  one 
wants  to  be  "pitcher,"  or  "quarter-back,"  and 
so  on. 


56  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

Up  to  adolescence  the  most  enjoyable  kind  of 
games  are  those  in  which  individuals  compete 
against  each  other  for  individual  glory,  and  it  is  a 
mistake  to  endeavor  to  develop  real  team-work 
before  the  natural  time  for  it.  For  the  same 
reason,  class  drills  in  different  physical  exercises 
are  not  of  very  great  value,  simply  because  the 
child  is  not  greatly  interested  in  group  work, 
and  exercise  is  very  effective  only  when  there  is  a 
direct  interest  in  it  on  the  part  of  the  child. 

We  must  be  very  careful,  however,  especially 
when  we  consider  the  regular  school  sports,  to 
see  to  it  that  they  are  suited  to  each  individual 
child.  It  is  amazing  how  common  it  is  for  school 
football  teams  to  be  formed,  the  only  require- 
ment being  that  the  members  be  strong,  active, 
and  courageous.  It  never  enters  the  minds  of 
many  coaches  to  inquire  as  to  the  physical  fitness 
of  each  boy  for  that  particular  kind  of  sport. 

Football  is  an  especially  good  example.  At  best 
it  is  not  a  particularly  safe  game  for  boys,  though 
many  bad  points  have  been  eliminated.  The  real 
danger  seems  to  come  in  the  private-school  teams. 
Many  schools  encourage  the  formation  and  train- 
ing of  such  teams,  not  for  the  individual  benefit 
of  the  boys,  but  for  the  advertising  a  successful 
team  gives  a  school.  So  we  find  the  paid,  pro- 
fessional coaches — who  are  often  entirely  ignorant 
of  the  science  of  physical  development — willing 


ATHLETICS  AND  SPORTS  57 

to  "take  a  chance"  and  run  the  risk  of  sacrificing 
any  boy  for  the  sake  of  the  team,  or,  rather,  for 
advertising  himself  and  the  school.  It  is  common 
for  private  academies  to  put  all  their  resources  at 
work  for  the  development  of  successful  teams,  the 
boys  not  belonging  to  the  teams  getting  no  phys- 
ical attention  whatever,  so  far  as  sports  are  con- 
cerned. The  writer  knows  of  one  typical  academy 
where  every  boy  is  required  to  pay  $5  each  year, 
for  "  athletics."  This  brings  $1250,  $1000  of 
which  goes  to  a  professional  coach,  who  occupies 
himself  with  the  senior  school  teams  which  are 
supposed  to  represent  the  school,  and  the  remain- 
der to  incidental  expenses  connected  with  the 
work — the  great  majority  of  the  boys  receiving 
absolutely  no  attention  as  far  as  the  encourage- 
ment and  training  in  sports  is  concerned. 

Frequently,  as  has  been  said,  physical  trainers 
or  coaches  allow  boys  to  join  teams,  or  actually 
persuade  them  to  do  so,  who  are  not  fitted  for 
such  sport  at  all.  We  hear  of  many  serious 
accidents,  especially  in  football;  and  a  great 
number  are  caused  by  allowing  a  young  boy,  who 
is  big  and  strong  for  his  age,  to  play  on  equal 
terms  with  older  boys,  who  may  be  no  larger,  or 
who  may  even  be  smaller,  but  who  are  much 
more  strongly  "knit"  and  thus  able  to  bear  phys- 
ical strains,  without  harm,  which  might  disable 
the  younger  boy  for  life. 


58  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

Not  only  so,  but  the  trainers  do  not  seem  to  be 
aware  of  the  fact  that  a  boy  who  has  grown  very 
large  and  strong  for  his  age,  generally  has  a  heart 
a  little  small  in  proportion  to  his  size — a  heart 
which  should  be  given  opportunity  for  normal 
growth,  and  which  should  not  be  called  upon  for 
the  great  exertion  needed  in  football  or  in  some 
of  the  more  wearing  track  sports.  Thus  it  is  that 
many  boys  are  injured,  and  thus  it  is  that  many  a 
boy,  who  in  time  might  have  become  a  first-class 
athlete,  has  found  it  necessary  to  go  quietly  and 
carefully  all  the  days  of  his  life. 

If  you  are  going  to  have  a  football  team  of 
growing  boys,  see  to  it  that  they  are  all  given  a 
physical  examination  by  an  expert,  and  that  they 
are  as  nearly  as  possible  of  one  age  and  weight. 
After  all,  winning  the  game  is  not  the  important 
thing:  the  cultivating  of  team-work  is  more 
important,  and  the  encouraging  of  boys  to  take 
interest  in  out-of-door  sports.  Generally  speak- 
ing, regular  football  had  better  be  left  for  boys 
and  young  men  who  have  attained  their  growth 
and  who  are  in  first-class  physical  condition. 
There  are  other  sports  equally  valuable.  Fur- 
thermore, do  not  make  the  school  team  the  object 
of  all  your  interest,  but  see  to  it  that  all  the  chil- 
dren in  the  school  are  interested  in  outdoor  sports 
suitable  for  them. 

Track  sports  again  need  great  attention,  for  it 


ATHLETICS   AND   SPORTS  59 

is  another  custom  to  encourage  boys  to  enter  for 
running  sports  which  are  unsuitable  to  their 
strength  and  physical  condition.  Some  contests 
are  almost  criminal,  particularly  what  is  known 
as  the  "street  marathon"  in  which  are  entered 
boys  of  all  ages  and  physical  conditions.  It  is 
almost  a  heart-rending  sight  to  see  the  forlorn 
youngsters  staggering  home  after  four  or  five 
miles  of  severe  exertion.  Long  walks  and  hikes, 
when  gradually  led  up  to,  may  be  fine  exercise 
and  beneficial,  but  the  marathon,  or  any  run  tak- 
ing so  great  an  amount  of  the  growing  boy's 
energy,  is  doubtless  responsible  for  bringing  a 
serious,  or,  sometimes,  even  fatal  injury.  It  is 
the  excess  that  is  dangerous,  and  the  permitting 
of  children  to  take  part  in  strenuous  sports  for 
which  they  are  not,  at  that  time,  fitted. 

Basket-ball  is  another  good  example.  This  is  a 
very  fine  game,  requiring  a  great  deal  of  energy 
and  skill.  If  the  time  of  play  is  carefully  limited, 
the  game  may  be  decidedly  beneficial,  especially 
if  it  is  seen  to  that  all  the  players  have  sound 
hearts.  But  the  writer  has  known  of  so-called 
" physical  directors"  who  have  permitted  teams 
of  growing  boys  to  play  all  afternoon,  and  learned 
nothing  from  seeing  them  go  home,  white  and 
exhausted,  day  after  day. 

Let  us,  then,  have  much  out-of-door  exercise 
and  sport,  and  let  us  see  to  it  that  all  the  chil- 


60  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

dren  have  it,  and  not  merely  picked  teams;  but 
let  us  also  be  careful  to  make  sure  that  the  chil- 
dren are  physically  fitted  for  certain  kinds  of 
sport,  and  that  excessive  exercise  is  avoided. 

It  is  not  the  place  of  this  book  to  describe 
school-room  conditions  that  make  for  bad  phys- 
ical condition  and  bad  physical  development. 
We  now  know  that  very  small  children  partic- 
ularly should  not  be  made  to  sit  for  any  length 
of  time  in  the  strict  order  and  silence  that  used  to 
be  required  of  all  alike.  We  know  that  when 
children  reach  the  school-desk  period,  the  seats 
and  desks  must  be  regulated  to  the  size  of  the 
child.  We  know  that  frequent  periods  for  phys- 
ical relief  must  be  provided,  not  once  a  week,  as 
in  a  certain  Pennsylvania  high  school,  but  two 
or  three  times  a  day.  We  are  quite  aware,  these 
days,  that  there  is  no  use  in  giving  children  phys- 
ical examinations  if  they  are  in  badly  ventilated 
class-rooms.  Corrective  work  can  be  seriously 
hampered  under  such  conditions. 

There  is  no  doubt  at  all  but  that  school  chil- 
dren should  be  examined  two  or  three  times  a  year, 
and  corrective  or  remedial  measures  provided. 
Such  a  procedure  would  mean  much  for  future 
generations,  just  as  would  the  finding  and  segre- 
gating of  the  mentally  and  morally  abnormal. 


THE  MEASURING 


CHAPTER  IV 
The  Measuring 

For  the  measuring  you  will  need  a  steel  tape 
measure,  a  height  standard,  scales,  and,  of  course, 
printed  cards  for  your  records.  Remember  your 
main  object  in  taking  measurements  is  not  to 
find  valuable  averages  of  measurements — the 
measurements  themselves  are  a  secondary  matter. 
The  object  is  to  interest  the  child  in  his  physical 
development,  first,  and  other  matters  should  come 
afterwards.  Therefore,  every  move  should  be 
intelligible  to  the  child,  and,  for  the  same  reason, 
the  measurements  should  be  made  in  inches  and 
pounds. 

I  have  great  doubt  if  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  will 
ever  give  up  its  inch  or  its  pound.  The  endeavor 
to  force  the  common  metric  system  upon  the  gen- 
eral public  is  likely  to  be  doomed  to  failure.  But 
it  is  quite  possible  that  we  can  make  a  rational 
metric  system,  so  to  speak,  from  our  own  units, 
using,  for  instance,  the  foot  as  a  unit,  divided 
into  tenths  and  so  on,  and  dividing  the  pound 
into  tenths  likewise.  In  fact  this  is  already  being 
done  to  some  extent,  or  sometimes  the  inch  is 
divided  into  tenths,  though  still  kept  one  twelfth 

(63) 


64  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

of  a  foot.  There  seems  to  be  a  good  chance, 
however,  of  the  foot's  becoming  a  unit,  with 
divisions  in  tenths  and  hundredths,  and  so  on. 

At  any  rate,  to  interest  children  in  their  meas- 
urements they  must  be  made  according  to  a 
standard  well  known  to  them,  so  that  of  necessity 
we  must  use  the  inch  and  pound  in  this  work. 
If  you  can  get  a  tape-measure  in  inches  and 
tenths  you  will  do  well. 

A  hand  dynamometer  sometimes  interests  the 
children  a  great  deal,  and  it  would  also  be  a  help 
to  have  a  spirometer.  But  as  these  instruments 
are  not  generally  at  hand,  they  are  not  considered 
in  the  following  tables.  The  hand-dynamometer 
is  the  only  strength-testing  instrument  that 
should  be  used.  Strength  tests  have  been  known 
to  cause  painful  and  even  dangerous  accidents, 
and  there  is  not  a  great  deal  of  value  in  using 
them  with  children. 

As  a  complete  stripping  cannot  always  be 
made,  your  record  cards  can  be  arranged  for  your 
own  particular  needs.  When  you  are  measuring, 
it  is  well  to  have  three  children  in  the  room  at  a 
time — one  dressing,  one  undressing,  and  the  other 
being  measured.  It  affects  a  boy  to  be  measured 
before  other  boys.  He  wants  to  "show  up"  well, 
and  it  is  likely  to  make  him  take  an  interest  more 
than  usual  in  his  physical  appearance  generally. 
Also  it  is  good  for  the  two  spectators  to  have 


THE  MEASURING  65 

another  boy's  faults  and  good  points  pointed  out 
before  them.  The  examiner  should  be  one  hav- 
ing a  great  deal  of  experience  with  children  and 
one  who  will  quickly  win  their  confidence.  A 
person  of  the  right  character  and  personality  put 
in  charge  of  such  work  may  mean  a  great  deal 
for  the  future  of  the  children  coming  into  personal 
contact  with  him. 

"When  measuring  the  boy's  height,  see  that  he 
stands  naturally  under  the  standard.  If  you 
cannot  have  a  regular  height  standard,  then  make 
foot  and  inch  marks  on  the  wall,  or  paste  a  cloth 
tape  upon  it,  and  then  have  the  boy  stand  under 
a  right-angled  triangle  held  against  the  tape. 
By  this  means  you  can  get  his  height  just  as 
accurately.  Whether  the  boy  is  stripped 
altogether  or  not,  he  should  take  his  shoes  off  for 
this  measurement;   otherwise  it  is  valueless. 

The  shoulder  girth  is  taken  around  the  shoulders 
at  their  greatest  measurement.  The  tape  should 
not  be  pulled  tightly,  for  the  flesh  gives  consid- 
erably under  undue  pressure.  The  tension 
should  be  just  enough  to  hold  the  measure  in 
correct  position. 

The  chest.  Place  the  tape  around  the  upper 
part  of  the  chest  so  that  it  will  take  a  level  line 
just  under  the  arm-pits.  Have  the  boy  take  as 
big  a  breath  as  he  can  and  then  exhale  all  he  can. 
Put  down  the  girth,   contracted  and  expanded, 


66  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

and  then  the  difference,  or  chest  expansion.  The 
same  process  is  repeated  with  the  measure  an 
inch  or  an  inch  and  a  half  below  the  bottom  of 
the  breast-bone.  Take  the  largest  measurement 
you  can  get.  The  exact  place  will  vary  with 
individuals.  The  chest  girth  and  "average" 
expansion  are  given  in  the  tables. 

The  arms.  Measure  about  the  middle  of  the 
upper  arm,  letting  the  arm  hang  loosely.  Then 
measure  the  upper  arm  again  with  the  biceps  con- 
tracted fully,  taking  the  largest  measurement  you 
can  get. 

The  waist.  This  is  taken  where  the  measure- 
ment is  smallest.  You  must  use  care  in  this  to 
see  that  the  waist  is  not  contracted.  Many 
children  will  contract  the  waist  a  little  upon  its 
being  measured. 

The  hips,  thighs,  and  calves  are  also  taken  at  the 
point  of  greatest  measurement.  Be  careful  that 
the  boy  stands  evenly  on  both  feet. 

Before  comparing  his  measurements  with  those 
of  the  tables  you  must  decide  to  what  type  he 
belongs.  You  can  almost  tell  with  your  eye 
whether  he  is  normally  slender,  medium,  or  heavy. 
Another  name  for  heavy  would  be  thick-set.  This 
does  not  mean  fat.  The  obviously  fat  boy  is  an 
abnormal  type,  and  these  measurements  are  not 
suited  for  boys  having  a  great  excess  of  adipose 
tissue. 


THE   MEASURING  67 

It  is  found  that  there  is  a  great  variation  in  the 
weights  of  boys  of  the  same  height.  Between  a 
normally  slender  boy  and  a  normally  thick-set 
boy  of  the  same  height  there  may  be  a  difference 
of  nearly  thirty  pounds.  According  to  the  usual 
tables  of  measurements  the  slender  boy  would  be 
marked  down  as  being  so  many  pounds  "  under 
weight,"  and  the  thick-set  boy  might  even  be 
given  weight-reducing  exercises.  So,  as  has  been 
said,  we  have  found  it  reasonable  to  divide  chil- 
dren into  three  physical  types,  just  as  adults  can 
be  divided,  that  is,  the  slender  type,  the  medium 
type,  and  the  heavy  type. 

Between  boys  of  the  same  height  but  of  dif- 
ferent types  there  are  corresponding  differences  in 
girths.  But  a  slight  increase  of  girth  all  over 
the  body  would  not  make  a  great  difference  in 
measurement  in  any  one  place,  but  would  make  a 
decided  difference  in  weight.  So  the  simplest 
method  of  tabulating  types  is  by  the  height- 
weight  standard.  Of  course  the  three  types  are 
not  absolutely  clear  and  distinct  from  each  other, 
for  there  are  gradations  between  them,  and  it 
would  be  possible  to  tabulate  differences  to 
almost  any  extent  between  the  extremes.  We 
have  inserted  two  intermediate  tables,  one  between 
the  slender  and  medium,  called  slender-medium, 
and  one  between  the  medium  and  heavy,  called 
medium-heavy.     For  convenience  it  is  advisable 


68  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

to  recognize  the  five  types,  using  for  the  medium 
the  " average"  measurements  of  many  children 
(in  the  following  tables  five  thousand  children 
were  used  in  obtaining  some  of  the  figures)  and 
then  grouping  the  slender  and  heavy  types  about 
the  average  measurements  of  children  who  were 
obviously  more  slender  than  the  average,  or  more 
thick-set. 

To  find  the  type  of  child  being  measured,  find 
his  height  and  weight.  Find  the  same  height  on 
the  Type  Table  and  see  to  which  type  his  weight 
corresponds  most  closely.  For  instance,  let  us 
say  the  height  of  a  boy  is  60  inches  and  his 
weight  87  pounds.  This  comes  nearest  being  the 
weight  corresponding  to  the  60-inch  height  in  the 
medium-type  table,  so  we  would  class  the  child  as 
a  medium-type.  Should  the  weight  be  half-way 
between  the  weights  of  two  of  the  tables,  class  the 
boy  with  the  more  slender-type  table.  That  is, 
if  a  boy  was  51  inches  high  and  weighed  63 1 
pounds,  this  would  be  half-way  between  the  weight 
of  a  slender-medium  boy  of  51  inches  and  a 
heavy-type  boy  of  the  same  height.  This  boy 
would  be  classed  with  the  medium-heavy  type. 
Remember,  too,  that  the  tables  are  not  meant 
for  the  obese  boy.  For  such  a  boy  girths  mean 
little,  and  all  you  can  notice  will  be  such  mat- 
ters as  chest  expansion  and  a  few  muscular 
contractions. 


THE   MEASURING  69 

When  a  boy's  measurements  are  compared 
with  those  tabulated  for  his  height,  weight,  and 
type,  slight  differences  in  girths  must  not  be 
given  too  much  significance,  though  evidences  of 
muscular  development  are  to  be  given  full  impor- 
tance. But  remember  that  the  great  purpose  of 
taking  these  measurements  is  the  interesting  of 
the  boy  in  his  own  physique,  so  that  he  can  be 
told  to  advantage  how  much  under  or  over  he  is 
the  average  measurements  of  his  type.  Further- 
more, it  acts  as  a  great  stimulus  to  "  standardize " 
a  boy  according  to  his  physical  status — that  is, 
according  to  his  approach  to  the  perfect  measure- 
ments for  his  type.  This  process  is  a  purely 
arbitrary  one  and  can  have  little  or  no  scientific 
meaning;  but  the  value  is  great  from  a  psycholog- 
ical standpoint,  and  this  has  been  found  true  by 
several  years  of  experiment  with  many  hundreds 
of  boys.  In  this  standardizing,  three  classes  are 
recognized.  The  first-class  boy  approaches  very 
nearly  the  averages  for  his  type,  weight  and 
height.  The  second-class  boy  has  a  fair  develop- 
ment, but  not  as  good  as  it  might  be,  and  the 
third-class  is  distinctly  inferior  to  the  second.  In 
this  standardizing  no  credit  is  given  to  measure- 
ments which  are  very  little  under  a  boy's  own 
control.  So  special  credit  cannot  be  given  to 
height,  for  instance. 

The  following  measurements  are  used  in  mak- 


70  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

ing  this  purely  arbitrary  standardization:  shoul- 
der girth,  chest,  hip,  thigh,  and  calf  girths, 
chest  expansion,  and  the  " difference"  in  the 
girth  of  the  upper  arm  when  the  biceps  is  con- 
tracted. Consider  100  as  an  ideal  standard. 
From  93  to  100  inclusive  can  be  considered  first- 
class,  from  84  to  92  inclusive  second-class,  and 
below  84  third-class.  For  every  quarter-inch 
variation  from  the  standard  in  shoulder  girth, 
chest  girth,  hip  girth,  thigh  girth,  and  calf  girth, 
add  or  subtract  one  from  the  boy's  record.  For 
each  one-eighth  inch  variation  from  the  standard 
in  chest  expansion  and  in  the  "difference"  of  each 
arm,  add  or  subtract  one.  That  is,  if  a  boy's 
shoulder  girth  were  an  inch  under  the  standard, 
four  would  be  subtracted  from  his  record,  and  if 
his  chest  expansion  were  a  quarter-inch  over  the 
standard,  two  would  be  added  to  his  record. 
Some  boys  having  an  exceptionally  fine  physique 
will  go  over  100.  The  writer  knows  a  boy  of 
eleven  who  attained  130,  and  another  of  nine 
whose  standing  is  123.  These  are,  of  course, 
exceptional,  but  they  can  be  used  to  stimulate 
their  schoolmates  or  classmates  by  being  pointed 
out  as  being  especially  fine  types  of  boys.  The 
effect  upon  the  boys  thus  pointed  out  has  been 
found  to  be  very  good;  for  they  attain  a  high 
regard  for  their  physical  perfection,  and  are  care- 
ful to  avoid  anything  they  believe  will  injure 


THE  MEASURING  71 

this  perfection  in  any  way  or  prevent  its  regular 
development  and  growth. 

Finally,  it  should  be  said  that  the  weights  given 
are  those  of  boys  fully  stripped.  If  a  boy  is 
stripped  to  the  waist  only,  and  has  his  shoes 
removed,  three  pounds  subtracted  from  his  weight 
will  fairly  account  for  the  clothes  he  is  wearing 
if  his  weight  is  above  80,  3|  pounds  if  above  100, 
and  2f  pounds  if  below  80.  This  is  arbitrary, 
but  cannot  be  avoided. 

In  the  measurement  tables  that  follow  "ages" 
are  included  in  parentheses.  They  cannot  be 
given  any  great  value,  but  it  interests  people, 
sometimes,  to  know  how  the  measurements  of  a 
child  compare  with  those  of  the  "average"  child 
of  the  same  age.  Unfortunately  the  writer  has 
not  a  sufficient  number  of  measurements  to 
enable  him  to  compile  a  reliable  table  for  girls. 

In  public  schools  there  is  usually  very  little 
medical  or  physical  examination.  The  introduc- 
tion of  such  a  system  as  described  may  have 
to  come  gradually,  especially  in  conservative 
communities  where  anything  "new"  is  looked 
upon  suspiciously  because  of  its  mere  newness. 
Stripping  to  the  waist  is  possibly  all  that  can  be 
done  at  first  by  way  of  examination,  in  which 
case  the  hip,  thigh,  and  calf  measurements  must 
be  omitted,  the  boys'  "scores"  being  made  up 
without  them. 


72  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

It  must  be  remembered,  too,  that  the  measure- 
ments given  in  the  tables  are  not  " average" 
measurements  of  all  the  boys  in  large  indiscrim- 
inate groups.  They  are  average  measurements 
of  well-built  and  healthy  boys  only;  they  are 
therefore  above  the  general  average,  so  that  when 
a  boy  comes  up  to  the  measurements  given  in 
this  book,  he  can  feel  that  his  development  is 
very  good,  and  quite  better  than  that  of  the 
" average"  boy  of  his  type. 

When  a  boy  is  obviously  below  the  develop- 
ment of  his  type  and  height,  then  he  can  be  given 
such  of  the  following  exercises  as  will  be  most 
likely  to  aid  in  making  up  the  deficiency,  so  that 
a  boy  standardized  as  third-class,  for  instance, 
can  be  helped  to  become  second-class,  and  first- 
class  with  a  rapidity  largely  according  to  his 
own  interest  and  desire. 

It  has  been  found  well  not  to  allow  a  boy  to 
be  standardized  over  second-class  if  he  has  a 
bad  posture  that  he  can  remedy.  That  is,  a  boy 
may  have  a  score  of  over  one  hundred,  and  yet 
will  score  but  second-class  if  he  has  stooped 
shoulders,  for  instance. 

When  you  have  found  the  height  and  weight,' 
find  in  which  table  you  have  the  weight  approach- 
ing most  nearly  that  of  the  boy  being  measured. 
Then  refer  to  the  table  of  the  particular  type. 

The  measurements  here  given  have  been  taken 


THE  MEASURING 


73 


Type 

Tables 

Height 

Slender 
Weight 

Slender- 
Medium 
Weight 

Medium 
Weight 

Medium- 
Heavy 
Weight 

Henry 
Weight 

51 

54 

56.5 

59 

62 

65 

52 

56 

59 

62.5 

65.75 

69 

53 

58 

61 

64 

68.5 

73.5 

54 

59.5 

63 

68 

73.5 

79 

55 

62 

68 

72 

77.5 

83.25 

56 

65 

70 

75 

82 

89.5 

57 

67 

72.5 

78 

86 

94.5 

58 

69 

76 

83 

91 

99 

59 

73 

80 

87 

94 

103 

60 

77 

83.5 

90 

98.5 

107.5 

61 

82.5 

88.75 

95 

103.5 

112 

62 

87.5 

93.75 

100 

109.5 

119 

63 

93 

99.5 

106 

115 

124 

64 

100 

108 

116 

122 

129 

65 

110 

115 

120 

128.5 

137 

66 

115 

121 

127 

136.5 

146 

67 

120 

127 

134 

144.5 

155 

68 

124.5 

135 

145 

157.5 

170 

of  children  from  nine  to  sixteen  years  inclusive,' 
as  this  concerns  the  very  great  majority  of  chil- 
dren of  the  age  that  would  be  influenced  by  such 
measuring  and  also  nearly  all  the  children  below 
the  high  school.  This  system  is  particularly 
adapted  to  children  of  the  rapid-growing  age, 
that  is,  up  to  and  including  sixteen. 


74 


PHYSICAL  TRAINING 


Table 

of  Measurements 

FOR 

Slender  Type 

A 
- 

'3 
W 

a 

'3 

A 

.a 

o 

u 

4> 

•V 

o 

A 

A 

c 

3 
•** 

m 
9 
A 
U 

a 

93 

0. 
M 

w 

«  a 

m  c 

A   ■ 

o 

a 

i 

A 

s 

6 

a 
o 
c 
3 

a 

Q 

1 

o 
B 

a 

SI 

<s 

to 

5 

s 

'3 

It 

m 

a 

B 

5 

3 

2 

Is 

3 

s 

0 

M 
03 
M 

> 

51 

54 

28* 

221 

2| 

6 

i 

6 

f 

19* 

23* 

14 

9* 

52 

56 

28! 

22* 

2f 

61 

I 

61 

4 

19f 

23f 

14* 

9! 

(9) 

53 

58 

29f 

23 

21 

6* 

l 

6* 

1 

20 

24 

15 

10 

54 

59* 

29| 

23* 

2| 

6f 

11 

6f 

I1 

20 

24* 

154 

101 

(10) 

55 

62 

30* 

24| 

3 

6! 

H 

61 

1* 

20* 

251 

15f 

10* 

56 

65 

31* 

24* 

3* 

7 

H 

7 

11 

21 

26 

15* 

10! 

(ID 

57 

67 

31| 

25* 

31 

71 

U 

71 

H 

22 

26* 

15| 

10! 

58 

69 

32* 

25| 

3| 

71 

H 

71 

u 

22| 

27 

16f 

10| 

(12) 

59 

73 

32f 

26* 

3f 

7f 

if 

7f 

H 

23 

27f 

16! 

10| 

60 

77 

33 

26* 

3! 

7| 

l* 

7* 

H 

231 

28* 

171 

11 

(13) 

61 

82* 

33f 

26| 

3! 

n 

1* 

7£ 
«  8 

U 

24 

28* 

17* 

ii* 

62 

87* 

34* 

26f 

31 

71 

«  8 

l* 

71 

if 

24f 

28| 

17* 

ill 

63 

93 

35 

27 

4 

8 

H 

7f 

x8 

25* 

291 

181 

11* 

(14) 

64 

100 

35f 

27* 

4 

81 

if 

7| 

If 

25f 

29f 

18! 

lif 

65 

110 

361 

27f 

4* 

81 

if 

71 

1* 

26* 

301 

191 

12 

66 

115 

37 

28* 

4| 

8* 

U 

8* 

If 

26* 

30! 

19! 

12* 

(15) 

67 

120 

38 

28* 

4* 

9 

2 

8* 

H 

27 

31* 

19| 

13 

68 

124* 

38| 

29* 

4* 

9 

2 

8* 

If 

28 

32* 

U9I 

13 

(16) 

THE  MEASURING  75 

Table  of  Measurements  fob  Slender-Medium  Type 


60 

4> 

-a 

3 

J3 

o 

Kg 

V 

•a 
3 
o 

W 

a 

■ 

0 

O 

a 

1 
a 

M 

« 

-  a 

a  0 
J3  ■ 
O 

< 

60 
£ 

0 

0 

a 
0 
c 

i 

Q 

E 

E 

< 

8 

a 
0 

u 

0 

JS 

Q 

8. 

3 

s 

6CO 

3 

1 

a 

3 
> 

51 

56* 

29* 

23 

2\ 

6| 

1 

61 

! 

20 

23! 

141 

101 

52 

59 

29! 

23J 

21 

61 

7 
3 

61 

1 

20f 

24f 

151 

lOf 

(9) 

53 

61 

30i 

23| 

2| 

61 

1 

6f 

1 

201 

24f 

15f 

101 

54 

63 

30J 

24 

2* 

7 

u 

61 

if 

21 

25f 

15! 

10! 

(10) 

55 

68 

312 

24f 

3 

74 

•  8 

u 

7 

if 

21f 

25f 

161 

101 

56 

70 

32f 

25| 

31 

73 

•  8 

11 

71 

if 

221 

271 

16f 

11 

(11) 

57 

72* 

33f 

26 

31 

71 

•  2 

11 

71 

if 

221 

271 

16! 

lif 

58 

76 

332 

261 

3f 

71 

'  8 

If 

7f; 

if 

231 

28 

171 

HI 

(12) 

59 

80 

34 

27 

3| 

71 

'  8 

If 

71 

11 

24 

281 

171 

ill 

60 

831 

341 

271 

,3| 

8 

11 

71 

If 

241 

291 

171 

ill 

(13) 

61 

88! 

34| 

27| 

3f 

81 

if 

71 

'   8 

11 

251 

291 

181 

ill 

62 

93 1 

35| 

271 

31 

81 

li 

8 

if 

25f 

301 

18* 

li! 

63 

991 

36 

27f 

4 

8f 

if 

81 

if 

26f 

31 

19 

12 

(14) 

64 

108 

36f 

281 

4 

81 

u 

81 

if 

26! 

311 

191 

121 

65 

115 

36| 

28| 

41 

81 

u 

8f 

If 

27 

311 

191 

121 

66 

121 

37f 

29 

41 

81 

2 

81 

H 

271 

321 

201 

121 

(15) 

67 

127 

38* 

29* 

41 

91 

2 

81 

if 

28 

32f 

201 

13! 

68 

135 

39f 

30J 

41 

91 

21 

81 

U 

28| 

331 

201 

131 

(16) 

76  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

Table  op  Measurements  for  Medium  Type 


4» 

a 
'8 

H 

A 

'3 

is 

A 
1 

o 

It 

0) 

•3 
o 

A 
III 

A 

o 

43 

OQ 

a 
A 

o 

a 

cS 

a 

X 

W 
*>  a 

<n  o 

o 

9 

< 

-a 

o 
a 

a 

<D 

u 

S 

S 

H 

< 

43 
h-) 

3 

a 
o 
u 

o 

to 

s 

•f-3 

'3 

•+3 

1-3 

A  A 

£ 

1-1 
■a 

'oj 

D 
M 

it 

Oi 

51 

59 

30£ 

23f 

2i 

6| 

3. 

4 

6| 

3 
4 

20| 

241 

15f 

101 

52 

62.5 

30f 

24 

3 

7 

1 

7 

1 

21 

25 

16 

11 

(9) 

53 

64 

31 

24* 

3 

7* 

'  8 

1 

74 

'  8 

1 

21f 

25f 

16f 

111 

54 

68 

31f 

24J 

3 

7a 

«  8 

U 

7*- 

•  4 

H 

22| 

261 

16| 

111 

(10) 

55 

72 

331 

25| 

31 

7f 

11 

7a 

•  8 

U 

22| 

26| 

17 

111 

(ID 

56 

75 

34i 

25| 

31 

7f 

H 

7s- 

«  8 

11 

23f 

27f 

171 

"i 

57 

781 

34f 

26| 

3f 

71 

H 

7f 

11 

23f 

28| 

17| 

ill 

(12) 

58 

83 

35f 

27f 

31 

8 

li 

7f 

11 

24| 

29| 

18| 

ill 

59 

87 

35| 

27| 

3| 

8i 

if 

7^ 

'  8 

U 

25| 

29| 

181 

ill 

(13) 

60 

90 

35| 

28| 

3f 

81 

H 

8 

if 

25| 

30f 

18f 

12 

61 

95 

36| 

281 

31 

81 

ii 

81 

X8 

261 

31f 

19 

12* 

62 

100 

36f 

28f 

31 

81 

l! 

81 

1^ 
x8 

26| 

32| 

19£ 

121 

63 

106 

36| 

28f 

4 

8i 

A4 

8f 

If 

271 

32| 

191 

12§ 

(14) 

64 

116 

37f 

29| 

*8 

9 

2 

8* 

If 

27| 

331 

20| 

124, 

65 

120 

37| 

29f 

4| 

91 

2 

8f 

■•■4 

27| 

33| 

20£ 

13 

(15) 

66 

127 

381 

30| 

41 

91 

2| 

9 

is 

28 

33f 

20f 

131 

67 

134 

39 

30f 

« 

9f 

2| 

91 

■■•8 

28f 

34 

21 

13| 

(16) 

68 

145 

40 

311  4f 

9f 

! 

21 

91 

2 

291 

m 

21 

13J 

THE  MEASURING 

Table  op  Measurements  for  Medium-Heavy  Type 


77 


— 

'S 
K 

'3 

A 

i 

0 

u 

0> 

•d 
"3 
o 
A 

<n 

A 

o 

V 
A 
O 

a 

eS 

a 

H 

w 

*>  0 
oo  O 

JS  a 

U 

8 

a 

E 

V 

«S 

Q 

e 

< 

*3 

8 

a 
p 

i 

Q 

•9 

H 

8-3 

K 

•*> 
9 
h) 
•a 

«> 

let) 
£ 

< 

M 
el 
6 

51 

62 

31* 

24| 

2* 

^8 

7* 

7 

8 

61 

i 

21* 

25* 

16* 

11 

(9) 

52 

65| 

31| 

24f 

3 

7i 

1 

7| 

1 

22 

25f 

16f 

Hi 

(10) 

53 

68* 

32 

25* 

3 

7f 

1 

7* 

1 

22 1 

26f 

16f 

nf 

54 

73* 

32* 

25* 

3 

7f 

u 

71 

H 

23  f 

27 

17 

nf 

(11) 

55 

77| 

33| 

25* 

3* 

7f 

1* 

7* 

H 

24* 

27| 

17* 

12 

56 

82 

34f 

26f 

3J 

72 

•  8 

1* 

7f 

11 

24* 

28* 

17f 

12* 

(12J 

57 

86 

35* 

27f 

3! 

8 

u 

7* 

«  8 

l* 

25f 

29f 

18* 

12* 

58 

91 

35* 

28 

3| 

8* 

If 

8 

n 

25f 

30! 

18f 

12f 

(13) 

59 

94 

36* 

28f 

3f 

8| 

1* 

8* 

u 

26* 

31| 

181 

12* 

60 

98* 

36f 

28f 

3| 

8* 

If 

8i 

If 

26f 

32 

19* 

12* 

(14) 

61 

103* 

37| 

29* 

4 

8f 

If 

8f 

1* 

27* 

32f 

19* 

12f 

62 

109* 

37| 

291 

4 

81 

If 

8f 

1* 

27f 

33* 

20 

12f 

63 

115 

38* 

30* 

4* 

9 

2 

8f 

If 

28 

33f 

20f 

12* 

(15) 

64 

122 

39* 

30f 

4* 

9* 

2A 

•^8 

8f 

If 

28* 

33f 

20f 

13 

65 

128* 

39* 

31* 

4* 

9* 

2* 

8| 

H 

29f 

33f 

20f 

13* 

(16) 

66 

136* 

39f 

31* 

4* 

9* 

2* 

9 

l* 

29| 

34* 

20* 

13f 

67 

144* 

40f 

32 

4f 

9J 

2* 

9* 

H 

30* 

34* 

21* 

13f 

(17) 

68 

157* 

41f 

325 

4| 

10 

2* 

9* 

2 

31| 

35f 

21* 

13| 

78 


PHYSICAL  TRAINING 


Table  of  Measurements  for  Heavy  Type 


*> 

rd 

bC 

'53 

w 

is 

J3 

c 
3 

h 

g 

"3 

o 

0Q 

J3 

3 

*» 

m 
9 

A 
O 

a 

OS 

a 

M 

w 

m  o 

o 

a 

s 

o 

a 
a 
o 

3 

5 

s 

Hi 

a 
a 

M 

O 

5 

'3 

a 

a 

15 

►3 

5 

3 

o  8 

a? 

< 

a 
te 

e] 

M 

51 

65 

32 

25 

3 

7* 

l 

71 

1 

22* 

26 

16* 

HI 

(9) 

52 

69 

32| 

25f 

3 

7* 

l 

7| 

1 

23* 

26| 

16! 

11! 

(10) 

53 

73f 

33 

26| 

31 

7* 

'  8 

li 

7* 

1* 

23! 

271 

171 

12* 

54 

79 

33* 

261 

31 

7* 

•  8 

H 

71 

U 

24! 

27! 

171 

12f 

(11) 

55 

83| 

33f 

26f 

31 

8 

H 

71 

M 

25* 

28* 

17f 

12f 

56 

89f 

35 

27* 

3f 

8* 

U 

8 

H 

26* 

29* 

18* 

121 

(12) 

57 

94| 

36 

28| 

3* 

81 

if 

8* 

U 

27 

30| 

18f 

13 

58 

799 

36| 

28f 

3* 

8f 

i* 

81 

u 

271 

321 

19* 

13 

(13) 

59 

103 

36! 

291 

3! 

8* 

if 

8| 

If 

27* 

33 

19f 

13* 

60 

107f 

37* 

29f 

4 

8| 

U 

8f 

1* 

27| 

33! 

19| 

13* 

(14) 

61 

112 

38f 

30f 

4* 

9 

2 

81 

If 

281 

34 

20* 

131 

62 

119 

39f 

31| 

4* 

9* 

2 

8f 

A8 

28| 

34* 

20* 

131 

63 

124 

40| 

31! 

41 

91 

2* 

9 

x8 

28! 

34* 

201 

13| 

(15) 

64 

129 

40* 

321 

41 

91 

21 

9 

2 

30 

341 

21* 

13* 

65 

137 

41 

32f 

41 

9| 

21 

9* 

2 

30| 

34* 

21* 

13* 

(16) 

66 

146 

41* 

33 

4f 

9| 

21 

9* 

2 

311 

34| 

211 

13f 

67 

155 

42| 

33* 

4* 

10* 

21 

9* 

2 

321 

35| 

21* 

13! 

(17) 

68 

170 

42| 

34 

4* 

10* 

2| 

10 

2* 

33* 

361 

22* 

13| 

SPECIAL  EXERCISES 


CHAPTER  V 
Special  Exercises 

When  a  boy  or  a  girl  has  had  any  particular 
developmental  deficiency  pointed  out,  if  it  is 
one  that  can  be  remedied  or  improved  by  exer- 
cises, the  following  movements  may  be  used. 
Many  of  these  are  especially  applicable  to  individ- 
ual use.  In  large  schools  it  is  impossible  to  give 
each  child  each  day  special  exercises.  But  if  a  boy 
or  a  girl  has  been  properly  interested  in  physical 
development — this  being  a  main  object  of  this 
work — then  he  or  she  will  be  willing  and  anxious 
to  work  for  improvement  in  out-of-school  hours. 
So  in  the  school  general  movements  can  be 
given,  care  being  taken,  however,  to  see  that  no 
child  is  taking  a  kind  of  exercise  for  which  he  or 
she  is  not  fitted.  The  great  fault  with  the  usual 
class  drill  is  that  there  are  present,  now  and  then, 
children  who  may  be  harmed  by  some  of  the  more 
rapid  and  strenuous  movements.  For  this  reason 
every  child  should  have  at  least  a  heart  exam- 
ination. 

When  a  boy  is  "measured"  and  his  interest 
thereby  aroused,  he  can  be  shown  his  deficiency, 
if  he  has  one,  and  also  be  shown  the  appropriate 

(81) 


82  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

exercise  for  it.  He  can  be  told  that  the  proper 
time  for  this  work  is  when  he  gets  up  in  the 
morning,  that  it  should  be  done  in  fresh  clean  air, 
and  that  the  great  majority  are  to  be  continued 
until  he  begins  to  feel  tired.  It  is  hard  to  say 
just  how  many  repetitions  of  a  movement  a  boy 
should  make  at  one  time,  or  just  how  long  he 
should  exercise.  If  he  continues,  however,  until  he 
begins  to  feel  a  little  tired,  you  can  feel  reasonably 
sure  that  he  is  not  working  beyond  his  strength. 

When  a  boy  has  a  remediable  deficiency  he  can 
be  told  about  how  long  it  may  take  him  to  make 
it  up.  A  subnormal  chest  expansion  can  be 
brought  up  very  rapidly — the  first  inch,  for 
instance,  in  a  month  or  two.  Improvement  of  the 
greater  muscles  takes  longer.  But  a  boy  takes 
special  interest  in  correcting  his  defects  if  he  can 
come  back,  at  stated  intervals,  and  see  how  much 
he  has  improved,  and  perhaps  be  advanced 
through  the  three  classes  into  which  boys  can  be 
divided  according  to  their  physical  status.  The 
school  competitions  help  a  great  deal,  as  has  been 
said,  one  being  for  the  greatest  improvement  dur- 
ing the  year,  giving  the  best  chance  to  the  worst 
developed  boy,  and  one  for  the  best  developed 
boy  in  the  school,  or  in  two  or  more  schools. 
The  taking  of  the  photographs  of  the  winners,  in 
tights,  and  putting  them  permanently  on  the 
walls  of  the  school,  is  a  very  great  stimulus. 


Illustrating  Exercise  No.  1. 


SPECIAL  EXERCISES  83 

But  let  it  be  distinctly  understood  that  no 
exercising  indoors  can  ever  be  used  as  a  substitute 
for  outdoor  active  play.  It  should  be  seen  to 
that  children  have  a  great  deal  of  healthy  out- 
door exercise,  in  overseen  games  and  plays,  and 
that  they  go  on  occasional  long  walks  or  "  hikes." 
When  a  boy  is  well  developed  all  over,  or  when  a 
boy  has  finally  made  up  any  defect  he  may  have 
had,  and  become  first-class,  then  all  influence 
should  be  brought  to  bear  to  have  him  take 
interest  in  the  great  outdoors.  While  he  is  doing 
his  special  exercises  at  home  in  the  morning  upon 
rising  he  should  be  having  his  out-of-door  play  in 
the  afternoon.  The  fact  is  that  when  a  boy  has 
acquired  a  good  breathing  capacity  and  adequate 
muscular  development,  he  will  naturally  take  up 
outdoor  plays  or  can  be  encouraged  to  do  so 
easily. 

So  while  many  of  the  following  exercises  are 
suitable  for  class  or  group  work,  any  of  them 
can  be  assigned  for  special  individual  work. 
They  are  suitable  for  girls  as  well  as  for 
boys. 

The  Chest 

Exercise  No.  1 .  To  increase  the  chest  capacity. 
Not  to  be  continued  after  a  child  has  reached  the 
first-class  expansion  for  his  type  and  height. 
Unfortunately  this  cannot  be  put  in  cubic  inches 


84  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

because  spirometers  are  not  generally  possessed 
by  schools. 

Stand  erect,  with  heels  together,  shoulders 
squared.  Raise  the  arms  straight  overhead,  take 
as  large  a  breath  as  possible;  then,  holding  the 
breath,  lower  the  arms  till  they  are  at  rest;  then 
exhale.  Remember  that  the  breath  is  to  be  held 
until  the  arms  are  hanging  down  by  the  sides. 
This  exercise,  done  a  dozen  times  in  the  morning, 
in  good  clean  air,  will  make  a  marked  improve- 
ment with  an  under-developed  chest.  Bringing 
the  arms  down  makes  a  slight  pressure  which 
forces  the  air  to  all  parts  of  the  lungs. 

The  common  exercise  in  which  the  air  is  ex- 
haled as  the  arms  are  brought  down  will  do 
for  children  who  have  a  normal  chest  develop- 
ment. 

Exercise  No.  2.  This  is  done  while  the  child  is 
walking.  Breathing  exercises  in  the  usual  class- 
room with  the  usual  stale  air  cannot  be  of  great 
benefit.  So  this  exercise  can  be  done  in  the 
school  yard,  or,  in  individual  work,  while  the 
child  is  walking  at  any  time  outdoors.  At  each 
step  take  in  a  little  breath,  so  that  by  the  time 
five  steps  have  been  taken  the  chest  is  filled  to 
its  capacity.  Hold  for  several  steps,  exhale,  and 
begin  again.     Continue  three  or  four  minutes. 

This,  with  No.  1,  will  aid  in  rapidly  bringing  up 
an  under-developed  chest. 


Ml  H?$ 

^^^^           j^> 

■g  vJHHB 

w^* 

^j  ^-^-^^ttfa 

/         H    1 

ML 

w!          3i 

V 

1 

f  ' 

: 

No.  1.  Exercise  No.  3,  Final  Position.  Xo.  2.  Exer- 
cise No.  4,  Beginning  to  "Lift."  Heavy  Type,  Age 
14.     Physical  Standard  95. 


Perfect  Heavy  Type,  Age  10.     Physical  Standard  127. 
Side  and  Back  View. 


SPECIAL  EXERCISES  85 

The  Shoulders 

Exercise  No.  8.  This  and  the  following  two 
exercises  are  to  be  used  when  the  shoulders  stoop 
forward  and  when  the  shoulder  blades  are  prom- 
inent.  The  first  two  are  excellent  exercises  for 
the  whole  back  as  well  as  for  the  shoulders. 

Lie  face  downward  upon  the  floor  with  the 
arms  stretched  ahead  of  you,  the  hands  being 
separated  about  two  feet.  Slowly  raise  the 
hands,  head,  and  shoulders  from  the  floor  as  high 
as  possible  (the  process  taking  about  three  sec- 
onds); then  return,  absolutely  relaxed,  to  the 
first  position.  Continue  until  you  begin  to  feel 
tired. 

A  child  may  tire,  at  first,  after  two  or  three 
motions. 

Exercise  No.  4-  This  is  a  "pretend"  exercise. 
Great  good  is  gained  by  putting  the  mind  upon 
the  work  being  done.  In  this  case  one  set  of 
muscles  acts  against  another  set,  to  their  mutual 
benefit.  "Pretend"  that  you  are  going  to  lift  a 
heavy  weight  up  over  your  head.  Put  your  feet 
a  foot  or  so  apart  to  get  a  good  brace;  bend 
down  and  grasp  the  imaginary  weight,  slowly, 
using  all  your  strength;  lift  it  in  a  vertical  line 
until  it  is  as  high  as  you  can  reach,  with  your 
arms  stretched  above  you,  your  shoulders  squared 
and  chest  out.  Then  come  down,  absolutely 
relaxed,  and  repeat  until  you  begin  to  feel  tired. 


86  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

Exercise  No.  5.  This  is  another  exercise 
wherein  one  set  of  muscles  acts  against  another 
set.  Place  your  tightly  closed  fists  about  six 
inches  apart  before  your  chest,  your  elbows 
extending  horizontally  on  each  side  of  the  body. 
Slowly,  keeping  the  arms  and  shoulders  as  rigid 
as  possible,  move  the  fists  upward  in  a  circle  until 
they  go  back  past  the  ears  as  far  as  you  can  pull 
them.  This  must  be  done  slowly,  using  your 
strength,  the  process  taking  three  or  four  seconds. 
Then  relax  and  bring  the  fists  to  the  first  position, 
and  repeat  until  you  begin  to  feel  tired. 

The  Back 

Exercise  No.  6.  Exercises  Nos.  3  and  4  are,  as 
has  been  said,  good  back  exercises.  The  following 
is  another,  and  a  "quick  motion"  one.  Place 
feet  together  and  lean  forward  and  downward,  the 
hands  hanging  straight  down;  then  quickly  swing 
the  arms  straight  up  overhead  and  take  a  step 
forward  with  the  right  foot,  then  down.  Repeat, 
putting  the  left  foot  forward. 

Quick-motion  exercises  have  a  value  in  their 
stimulating  effect,  affecting  the  breathing,  the  cir- 
culation, and  the  digestive  organs. 

The  Abdomen 

Exercise  No.  7.  These  are  exercises  requiring 
considerable  strength  and  bringing  a  fair  strain  on 


SPECIAL  EXERCISES  87 

the  abdominal  muscles.  When  the  abdomen  is 
weak  exercise  No.  7  should  be  used  alone,  Nos.  8 
and  9  being  used  when  the  muscles  become  harder 
and  more  capable. 

Lie  flat  on  the  back,  hands  at  side,  feet 
together.  Slowly  raise  the  right  leg  to  the  ver- 
tical, slowly  put  it  down  and  repeat  with  the  left. 
Continue  until  you  begin  to  feel  tired. 

Exercise  No.  8.  Take  the  position  as  in  No.  7. 
Slowly  lift  both  legs,  keeping  them  rigidly 
extended  and  the  feet  together,  to  the  vertical, 
slowly  letting  them  down  again.  Continue  until 
you  begin  to  feel  tired. 

This  may  tire  a  child  in  two  or  three  motions 
at  first.  It  is  excellent  for  a  soft,  protruding,  or 
flabby  abdomen. 

Exercise  No.  9.  Place  the  feet  under  a  bar  or 
under  the  edge  of  a  heavy  piece  of  furniture; 
take  a  position  as  in  No.  8,  and  slowly  raise  the 
body,  keeping  the  back  straight,  to  a  vertical 
position,  slowly  going  down  again.  Continue  till 
tired. 

The  Sides 

These  exercises,  of  course,  affect  the  main 
abdominal  muscles  as  much  as  they  do  the  sides 
— so  called. 

Exercise  No.  10.  This  is  a  "quick-motion" 
exercise.     Lean  forward  with  arms  hanging  down 


88  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

much  as  in  No.  6,  only  twist  around  to  the  left, 
so  that  the  hands  instead  of  being  in  front  of  the 
feet,  are  above  the  side,  let  us  say,  of  the  left 
foot.  Then  quickly  swing  upwards  and  around, 
with  a  twisting  motion,  till,  when  the  hands  are 
overhead  you  are  facing  almost  directly  to  the 
right;  continue  several  times  and  repeat,  swing- 
ing upwards  to  the  left  from  the  lower  right. 

Exercise  No.  11.  Lie  on  one  side,  keeping  the 
body  and  legs  in  a  straight  line,  resting  upon  one 
elbow  as  shown  in  the  illustration.  Then  slowly 
lift  the  hips  from  the  ground  as  high  as  you  can, 
keeping  on  one  side,  one  foot  being  on  top  of  the 
other.  Continue  until  you  begin  to  feel  tired; 
then  turn  over  and  make  the  same  number  of 
motions  up  and  down  on  the  other  side. 

This  is  a  fairly  " strenuous"  exercise  and  care 
should  be  taken  not  to  have  a  child  continue 
beyond  the  first  feeling  of  fatigue. 

Exercise  No.  12.  This  is  a  continuation  of 
No.  11.  When  the  hips  have  been  raised  as  far 
as  possible,  raise  the  upper  foot  also  as  high  as 
possible;  then  bring  back  the  foot  till  it  rests  on 
the  other  foot,  and  then  bring  the  hips  down  to 
the  floor. 

It  should  be  understood,  by  this  time,  without 
further  repetition,  that  these  exercises  are  to  be 
continued  till  the  child  begins  to  feel  tired.  Our 
sensations  can  be  trusted  on  most  occasions. 


SPECIAL  EXERCISES  89 

Exercise  No.  IS.  This  is  a  "quick-movement" 
exercise.  Extend  the  arms  sideways,  on  a 
level  with  the  shoulders,  holding  them  very- 
rigid.  Then,  holding  the  body  rigid  also, 
twist  around  to  the  left,  then  around  to  the 
right,  so  that  you  face  the  left  and  right  alter- 
nately. 

Exercise  No.  14-  Extend  the  arms  rigidly  as 
in  No.  12,  and  then  bend  over  sideways,  slowly, 
as  far  as  possible;  then  swing  up  and  over  to  the 
other  side,  so  that  the  rigid  arms  take  up  a  "see- 
saw" motion. 

The  abdominal  and  side  exercises  are  useful 
generally,  but  can  be  given  particularly  when  the 
abdomen  is  weak,  soft,  flabby,  or  "hanging" 
through  weakness,  and  the  side-exercises,  also 
generally  useful,  not  only  for  the  side-muscles 
themselves,  but  also  for  their  effect  on  the  internal 
organs,  can  be  given  particularly  when  such  work 
is  obviously  needed. 

The  Arms 

Exercise  No.  15.  This  is  an  excellent  exercise 
for  all  the  arm  muscles.  Place  the  hands,  palm 
to  palm,  in  front  of  the  chest,  the  right  palm  fac- 
ing outwards,  let  us  say.  Slowly,  using  all  your 
strength,  push  out  the  left  hand  with  the  right 
till  both  arms  are  fully  extended,  then,  with  the 
left  hand,  slowly  push  the  right  hand  back  to  the 


90  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

chest  again.  This  exercises  principally  the  right 
triceps  and  the  left  biceps.  Reversing  the  posi- 
tion of  the  hands  exercises  the  right  biceps  and 
the  left  triceps.  This  is  a  remarkably  effective 
exercise  for  bringing  the  arm  development  up  to 
standard.  It  should  take  a  full  second  or  a  little 
more  to  push  one  hand  out  and  as  long  to  come 
back  to  the  first  position.  The  "imaginary" 
lifting  exercise  of  No.  4  is  an  excellent  one  for 
the  arms. 

Exercise  No.  16.  For  the  forearms.  Extend 
the  arms  straight  ahead  of  you  with  the  hands 
and  fingers  extended  rigidly.  Keeping  the  hands 
as  rigid  as  possible,  open  and  contract  them 
slowly,  taking  about  two  seconds  to  close  them 
tightly  and  as  long  to  extend  them  fully.  This 
can  be  given  as  general  work  and  can  be  used 
when  a  child's  hands  are  manifestly  weak — an 
unusual  occurrence,  be  it  said. 

Exercise  No.  17.  Extend  arms  as  in  No.  16, 
extending  hands  also  horizontally,  keeping  fingers 
together.  Keeping  the  forearms  and  hands  as 
rigid  as  possible,  turn  the  hands  slowly  down  and 
then  up,  moving  them  as  far  downward  and 
upward  as  possible,  taking  a  full  two  seconds  for 
a  movement  from  down  to  up. 

A  variation  of  this  movement  consists  in  keep- 
ing the  hands  and  forearms  rigid  as  before  and 
moving  the  hands  in  stiff  circles. 


No.  1.  Exercise  No.  19,  Final  Position.  No.  2.  Exer- 
cise No.  11.  First  Position.  No.  3.  Exercise  No.  12, 
A  Development  of  No.  11. 


SPECIAL  EXERCISES  91 

The  Neck 

Exercise  No.  18.  Place  the  hands  behind  the 
head  and  slowly  move  the  head  backwards 
against  the  pressure  of  the  hands  and  as  slowly- 
let  it  come  forward  again.  The  exercise  can  be 
reversed  by  bending  the  head  forward  against  the 
hands  placed  with  the  palms  against  the  fore- 
head. 

The  same  exercises  can  be  done  without  using 
the  hands  at  all,  by  making  the  neck  rigid  dur- 
ing the  exercise,  and  a  good  variation  is  made  by 
making  the  neck  rigid  and  then  slowly  bending 
the  head  around  in  a  circle. 

The  Chest  Muscles 

Exercise  No.  19.  There  are  two  simple  and 
effective  exercises  for  developing  the  main  mus- 
cles of  the  chest.  Lie  face  down  on  the  floor 
with  your  hands,  palms  downward,  pressing  on 
the  floor  right  under  your  shoulders.  Keeping 
the  body  and  legs  perfectly  rigid,  push  down  with 
your  hands,  lifting  your  body  from  the  floor  as 
high  as  possible.  This  should  occupy  a  slow  sec- 
ond, taking  the  same  time  to  come  down  again. 

This  exercise  should  not  be  done  unless  shoul- 
der and  back  exercises  are  done  also.  Many 
boys'  shoulders  stoop  forward  not  so  much 
because  of  weakness,  but  because  the  strength  of 
their  chest  muscles  is  larger  in  proportion  than 


92  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

of  those  across  the  shoulders,  so  that  the  shoul- 
ders are  pulled  forward. 

Exercise  No.  20.  Press  the  palms  of  your  hands 
together  in  front  of  your  chest,  then,  using  all 
your  strength,  have  one  hand  push  the  other 
slowly  across  the  chest,  then  the  second  push 
the  first  back  again  across  the  chest  to  the  other 
side.     This  is  a  slow,  " resistance"  exercise. 

The  Legs 

The  legs  of  most  boys  are  fairly  well  developed, 
unless  the  boy  is  a  " stay-at-home"  who  prefers 
to  sit  curled  up  in  a  corner  reading  a  book  than 
to  play  with  boys  of  his  own  age.  Give  such  a 
boy  a  strong  physique  and  the  "reflex"  will  soon 
drive  him  out  of  doors,  to  his  great  benefit. 

Exercise  No.  21.  Stand  straight,  with  feet  a 
little  apart,  then,  keeping  the  body  erect,  bend 
your  knees  till  you  are  almost  sitting  on  your 
heels,  then  up  again.  The  whole  process,  up  and 
down,  should  take  about  two  slow  seconds.  If 
there  is  any  heart  weakness  this  exercise  had 
better  be  done  quite  slowly. 

Exercise  No.  22.  For  the  calves.  Slowly  rise 
up  and  down  on  the  toes,  going  up  as  far  as  pos- 
sible. When  walking,  walk  for  a  hundred  yards, 
say,  coming  down  on  the  toes  only. 

These  comprise  the  basic  exercises  which  affect 
all  the  important  groups  of  muscles,  and  a  major- 


SPECIAL  EXERCISES  93 

ity  are  capable  of  being  used  for  group  work  as 
well  as  for  individuals. 

Some  of  the  ordinary  quick-moving  exercises  as 
used  for  classes  are  valuable,  the  quick  motion 
itself  having  a  direct,  stimulating  effect.  Such 
exercises  are  the  ordinary  arm  movements,  such 
as  are  sometimes  given  with  dumb-bells.  One 
disadvantage  of  using  rapid  exercises  in  the  usual 
school  class-room  is  that  the  physical  director  or 
teacher  generally  has  no  knowledge  of  the  phys- 
ical condition  of  each  child.  Though  these  exer- 
cises are  undoubtedly  of  great  value  for  the 
majority,  they  can  do  harm  to  the  small  minority 
which  may  be  quite  unfitted  for  such  work. 

We  should  all  insist  upon  a  physical  and  med- 
ical examination  for  each  school  child,  at  least 
twice  a  year,  the  results  of  which,  coupled  with 
remedial  exercises  and  care,  can  be  made  of  the 
very  greatest  value.  And,  when  this  is  united 
with  a  character -making  influence,  as  with  the 
boys,  a  work  of  vast  importance  can  be  accom- 
plished. Certainly  a  great  responsibility  is  put 
into  the  hands  of  the  schools,  these  days,  and 
let  us  find  them  worthy  of  it! 


INDEX 


INDEX 


Abdomen,  15,  17,  20,  86 
Accidents,  57 
Adenoids,  22-24,  27,  28 
Anthropometry,  12,  41-50 
Arms,  66,  89 
Athletics,  53-60 
Average  measurements,  72 

Back,  15,  86 
Basket-ball,  59 
Bowditch,  42 
Breath,  22 
Breathing  exercises,  84 

Calves,  66 
Carriage,  15-21 
Character-making,  93 
Chest,  15-17,  20,  65,  82,  83, 
Chorea,  34,  38 
Cigarettes,  49 
Circulation,  31 
Class  drill,  56,  81,  93 
Coaches,  57 
"Colds,"  22 
Competitions,  48,  82 
Contests,  48 
Convulsions,  37 
Co-operative  spirit,  55 
Corrective  work,  60 
Crampton,  44 
Curvature,  18.,  21 

Dancing,  53-55 
Dancing  school,  54 


91 


Defective  education,  35,  38 
Deficiencies,  11,  81 
Diirer,  42 
Dynamometer,  64 

Ears,  24,  27,  28 
Egyptians,  41 
Epilepsy,  37,  38 
Examination,  15-38,  60,  71,  93 
Exercises,  81-93 

abdomen,  86 

arms,  89 

back,  86 

chest,  83 

chest  muscles,  91 

legs,  92 

neck,  91 

shoulders,  85 

sides,  87 
Eyes,  24-26,  27 

Facial  characteristics,  21-29 
Fat  boy,  66,  68 
Finding  type  of  child,  68 
Finger  nails,  31 
"Fits,"  35 
Flat-foot,  19 
Folk  dances,  55 
Football,  56-58 

Galton,  43 
Girls,  71,  83 
«   Greece,  41 

(97) 


98 


INDEX 


Hands,  29-32 

Hall,  G.  Stanley,  54 

Hastings,  42,  43 

Head,  15,  20 

Hearing,  28 

Heart,  58,  81 

Heavy  type,  45,  66,  78 

Height,  65 

Height-weight  standard,  67 

Heredity,  35,  38 

Hikes,  59 

Hitchcock,  43 

Hips,  66 

Hysteria,  35,  38 

Improvement,  81 
Intermediate  tables,  67 

Lighting,  school-room,  37 
Linear  measure,  63 
Legs,  92 

Marathon,  59 

Measuring,  63-78 

Medical     examination.        See 

Examination. 
Medical  inspection,  11 
Medium-heavy  type,  67,  77 
Medium  type,  44,  66,  76 
Metric  system,  63 
Morality,  50 
Mouth,  22,  27 

Neck,  91 

Nervous  affections,  33-38 
New  York  schools,  44 
Nose,  22,  27 


Obedience,  36 
Obese  boy,  66,  68 
Olympic  Games,  41 
Outdoor  play,  83 

Philadelphia,  47 
Photographs,  82 
Physical  development,  63,  69 
Physical     examination.        See 

Examination. 
Physical  strain,  57 
Physical  trainers,  57 
Physiological  age,  44 
Play,  53,  83 
Positive  teaching,  49 
Private  schools,  57 
Public  schools,  71 

Quetelet,  42 
Quick-moving  exercises,  93 

Rapid  exercises,  93 
Responsibility,  93 

Schadow,  42 

Seating,  18,  19,  60 

Segregating  unfit,  60 

Self-control,  36 

Sex  hygiene,  12,  50 

Sex  instinct,  55 

Shock,  35,  38 

Shoes,  19 

Shoulders,  16-18,  20,  21,  65,  85 

Sides,    87 

Slender-medium  type,  67,  75 

Slender  type,  44,  66,  74 

Snellen  chart,  28 

Spasms,  37,  38 


INDEX 


99 


Special  exercises,  81-93 
Spirometer,  64,  84 
Sports,  63-60 
Stammering,  33,  38 
Standardizing  boys,  69 
Stoop  shoulders.     See 

Shoulders. 
Strain,  37,  57 
Street  marathon,  59 
Strength  tests,  64 
Stripping,  64 
Stuttering,  33,  38 
St.  Vitus'  dance,  34 

Tables,  73-78 
j     heavy  type,  78 

medium-heavy  type,  77 


Tables- 
medium  type,  76 
slender-medium  type,  75 
slender  type,  74 

Teams,  55-57 

Teeth,  23,  26,  27,  28 

Thick-set  type,  44 

Thighs,  66 

Tonsils,  24 

Track  sports,  58 

Types,  44-50,  68,  73 

Type  tables,  73 

Uncleanliness,  32 

Walks,  59 
Waist,  66 


Character 

Development 

A  PRACTICAL  GRADED  SCHOOL  COURSE 

BY 

CHARLES  KEEN  TAYLOR,  B.S.,  M.A. 


While  appealing  strongly  to  parents  and  others  inter- 
ested in  education,  this  book  is  intended  chiefly  as  a 
manual  for  the  use  of  teachers  in  the  primary  and  gram- 
mar schools,  and  contains  detailed  plans  for  the  carry- 
ing on  of  a  complete  system  of  moral  education.  Mr. 
Taylor  endeavors  to  bring  in  the  entire  moral  field, 
considering  the  morality  that  should  govern  men  as 
citizens,  as  workers,  and  as  private  individuals. 

A  part  of  this  system  is  the  correlation  and  direction 
of  activities  already  in  the  school ;  but  two  new  activi- 
ties are  added — an  unusual  physical-training  system  for 
boys  and  a  domestic-science  course  for  girls.  In  the 
physical  work  a  method  is  provided  by  which  boys 
become  so  interested  in  their  physical  development  that, 
by  using  this  interest  as  a  lever,  their  character  can  be 
profoundly  influenced  for  good.  The  domestic-science 
plan  includes  the  establishing  of  "model  homes,"  for 
girls  as  low  as  the  third  grade.  In  these  model  homes, 
under  suitable  direction,  the  girls  are  instructed  in 
matters  pertaining  to  the  home,  from  housekeeping  and 
home  sanitation  to  the  actual  care  of  infants. 

i2mo.    Cloth.    242  pages.   $1.00  net.    Postage,  10  cents. 


THE  JOHN    C.  WINSTON  COMPANY 

Publishers  Philadelphia 

See  following  pages  tor  press  comments  and  opinions  of  educators. 


(Character    Development 

By  CHARLES  KEEN  TAYLOR,  B.S.,  M.A. 


Press  Comments 

"  Mr.  Taylor's  book  is  one  that  every  parent  and  teacher 
should  read.  It  is  not  the  work  of  a  theorist,  but  of  a  practical 
worker. 

"The  Philadelphia  method  of  character  building  can  be  put 
in  operation  in  a  school  without  revolutionizing  the  school  either 
pedagogically  or  physically.  This  is  a  very  vital  factor  in  its 
favor." — Philadelphia  Public  Ledger. 

"Efficient  citizenship,  which  is  a  fundamental  consideration 
in  all  progress,  is  so  essentially  a  matter  of  sound  bodies  that  we 
believe  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  every  state  in  the  Union 
will  follow  Pennsylvania's  lead  in  the  conservation  of  public  health. 
And  we  think  the  most  effective  machinery  for  aiding  in  this  work 
is  that  of  the  public  school.  Our  conviction  in  this  regard  is 
strengthened  by  striking  results  attending  an  experiment  recently 
made  in  four  of  Philadelphia's  public  schools  by  Charles  Keen 
Taylor,  formerly  assistant  in  psychology  in  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania.  Mr.  Taylor's  aim  is  the  development  of  the  whole 
child,  mentally,  morally,  and  physically. 

"As  a  result  of  this  experiment  in  efficient  education,  pro- 
motion in  the  schools  where  it  has  been  tried  has  largely  increased, 
discipline  has  greatly  improved  and  laggards  and  complainers  have 
been  reduced  to  a  minimum." — Philadelphia  North  American. 

"It  makes  the  way  so  plain  that  any  instructor  can  walk  in 
it.  .  .  .  The  plan  is  to  make  the  public  school  a  conserver 
of  morality  in  the  broadest  sense  of  the  word  by  a  new  atmosphere 
rather  than  a  new  curriculum." — Troy  Record. 

"The  book  is  a  capital  one  in  its  way,  and  that  way  is  much 
like  the  fine  old  way  of  the  Greeks,  who  educated  their  sons  and 
daughters  to  citizenship  by  a  training  in  the  care  of  the  body,  the 
use  of  the  mother  tongue  in  debate,  and  the  exercise  of  the  imagi- 
nation to  appreciate  the  rights  and  feelings  of  others." — The 
Psychological  Clinic. 

"  Mr.  Taylor  has  shown  conclusively  that  the  most  perfect 
specimens  of  boyhood  under  his  charge,  all  things  even,  are  apt 
to  become  the  most  satisfactory  pupils  in  the  class  room  as  well 
as  the  leaders  in  sports." — Old  Penn. 

i2mo.   Cloth.   242  pages.   $1.00  net.    Postage,  10  cents. 


THE    JOHN   C.   WINSTON   COMPANY 

Publishers  Philadelphia 


Opinions  of  Educators  Familiar  with 
the  Book  and  System 


"  Mr.  Taylor's  book  is  remarkable,  not  only  because  it  is  a 
first  attempt  at  the  solution  of  a  very  difficult  problem,  the  organ- 
izing of  a  definite  programme  of  moral  training  for  the  eight  grades 
of  the  elementary  school,  but  also  because  Mr.  Taylor  appears  to 
have  produced  a  good  workable  programme  which  can  be  recom- 
mended for  trial." 

LlGHTNER    WlTMER, 

Director,  Psychological  Laboratory  and  Clinic, 

University  of  Pennsylvania. 

"It  is  especially  acceptable  for  the  reason  that  I  believe  we 
need  to  give  some  positive  instruction  concerning  the  elements  of 
character  and  furnish  the  youth  of  the  country  some  definite 
standards."  Mason  S.  Stone, 

State  Superintendent  of  Education,  Vermont. 

"We  have  given  this  book  a  careful  examination  and  are  glad 
to  be  able  to  endorse  the  work.  It  seems  to  us  that  it  has  a  good 
point  of  view.  One  of  the  most  difficult  things  in  the  whole  edu- 
cational field  is  to  teach  lessons  in  morals  successfully." 

E.  I.  Mathes, 
Principal,  State  Normal  School,  Bellingham,  Washington. 

"It  will  be  very  helpful  to  our  teachers  in  reaching  pupils  who 
otherwise  would  take  little  interest  in  this  kind  of  work." 

I.  I.   Cammack, 
Superintendent  of  Schools,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 

"Mr.  Charles  K.  Taylor  has  for  many  years  made  a  special 
study  of  psychology  and  its  application  to  the  morals  and  the 
physical  and  mental  development  of  the  young.  His  latest  work. 
Character  Development,  is  without  a  rival  in  its  clear  presenta- 
tion of  the  subject.  It  should  be  in  the  hands  of  every  teacher 
and  it  also  should  be  in  every  public  library  in  the  country." 

Andrew  J.  Morrison, 
Principal,  Northeast  High  School,  Philadelphia. 

"I  received  the  book.  Character  Development,  and  I  must 
say  that  it  is  the  best  work  on  that  subject  that  I  have  ever  seen. 
It  should  be  in  the  hands  of  every  teacher,  and  I  shall  take  pleasure 
in  recommending  it  to  the  teachers  under  my  supervision." 

R.  A.   Marsh, 
Hidalgo  County  School  Superintendent,  Texas. 

l2mo.    Cloth.    242  pages.    $1.00  net.    Postage,  10  cents. 


THE   JOHN    C.    WINSTON   COMPANY 

Publishers  Philadelphia 


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